


A Small Exchange of Souls

by ladyroxanne21



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Anal Sex, HP: EWE, Hand Jobs, M/M, Reluctant Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-29
Updated: 2016-08-29
Packaged: 2018-08-11 17:45:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 25,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7901914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyroxanne21/pseuds/ladyroxanne21
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Right after Harry nearly killed Draco with a Sectumpempra, he visits Draco in the Hospital Wing, only to be surprised when Dumbledore suggests a unique bond, which both boys reluctantly but willingly agree to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Small Exchange of Souls

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry it's been so long since I last posted, but I was finishing up editing on a different fic for a fest, and also writing this one and another one. So, that just means that there's more to come in the next few weeks :-)

 

 

Harry couldn't sleep. This wasn't entirely unusual, but tonight, he had a more horrifying reason than ever. He had nearly become a murderer. He had nearly _killed Draco Malfoy_!!!

No matter how much Harry wanted to justify it to himself, he just couldn't. It really was true that he had no idea what he was casting. It was also true that he hadn't exactly had an opportunity to cast the spell labeled as “for enemies” in order to find out what it did, but really that was no excuse. He should have thought of something else.

Hell! Even returning the Crucio would have been better than nearly killing someone with an unknown spell!

Harry sighed and turned over, punching his pillow to try to make it more comfortable. Only it still felt like a bag of rocks under his head. There was no use for it; his guilty conscious simply would not let him rest until he had tried to apologize.

Slipping out of bed, Harry grabbed his map and his cloak and used both of them to navigate his way into the hospital wing without running into anyone. After he was inside, he waited to see if he had set off any wards to alert Madam Pomfrey to his presence. She seemed to shift around in her room – according to her footsteps on the map – but she then settled down again rather quickly.

This let Harry believe that he had set off a ward of some sort, but that since he wasn't injured – and probably couldn't be seen on whatever monitoring spell she used – she'd likely assumed that someone had simply opened the door and then left right away. It could happen, Harry supposed. He slipped the map into his pocket now that it wasn't required but didn't turn it off in case he needed to look at it quickly.

He slowly made his way toward Malfoy's bed. To his surprise, Malfoy was awake, simply laying there and looking at the ceiling as if watching something cathartic – like a waterfall or a fire. Harry slowly pulled off his cloak, taking care to keep his hands up and in sight at all times.

Malfoy only looked slightly surprised to see him. “Come to finish me off then?”

Harry shook his head. “I'm so sorry! I didn't know what that spell did! I... I wouldn't have...”

Draco narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to berate Harry. It was written all over his face that he would love nothing more than to verbally filet Harry and use enough venom to make it deadly, but then he stopped himself. A moment later, he sighed.

“It doesn't matter anyway,” Malfoy muttered, sounding depressed. “If you _had_ killed me, you would have brought honor to my family. I would have died in a battle of sorts. Now I'll just die a failure.”

“I wish I could help you,” Harry exhaled in a long sigh.

“You want to help me with my mission to help the Dark Lord gain power?” Draco asked, sounding both incredulous and amused. One of his brows was raised in that way that normally meant he was sneering at Harry, but this time, it looked more like a genuine but silent laugh.

Harry flushed a light red. “Well no, not that. I want to help you not be in danger or so stressed out that you wish I had killed you during a stupid duel.”

“Do you really?” A new voice asked kindly, taking them both by surprise.

Harry inhaled a nearly silent gasp and turned to face Dumbledore. “Headmaster!”

Dumbledore placed a gentle hand on Harry's shoulder. “I know you well enough to know that you have good intentions. You actually remind me a bit of myself at your age, except that I was hungry for knowledge and power and fortunately, you are not. In any case, do you really wish that you could help young Malfoy?”

“Yes,” Harry confirmed sincerely.

“Even if helping him seems to help Tom?” Dumbledore clarified.

Harry took a deep breath. “Well... that part I could do without.”

Dumbledore gave him one of those kindly smiles that looked a bit grandfatherly until you realized that his eyes were on fire with mischief. “You know how I have brought you with me once and plan to send you on certain missions just as I have sent others on missions that are rather dangerous?”

“Yeah,” Harry whispered. His hands trembling just a little as he realized that Dumbledore was being deadly serious.

“How is this for your Gryffindor sense of adventure? I need the Dark Lord to think he's winning. In fact, I need him to actually win for a bit,” Dumbledore stated. This both intrigued and horrified Harry.

“You do?” Harry asked skeptically.

Dumbledore now looked at Harry with infinite patience. “In a war, far often strategy is more important than winning battles. Yes, winning the final battle is always the goal, but how you get there is important. It relies on playing a dangerous game for very high stakes.”

“Yeah, I suppose,” Harry agreed softly.

“So, I find myself wondering if I can assign you a potentially dangerous mission – which would help our young Malfoy here,” Dumbledore murmured, gesturing to indicate Draco, who was clearly watching them with the intention of remembering every word so that he could repeat it to the Dark Lord.

“What sort of mission?” Harry asked with definite interest. Draco rolled his eyes at how eager Harry was to risk his life.

“I want you to help him complete his mission,” Dumbledore stated a bit abruptly. Draco nearly choked on an incredulous gasp.

“What mission?” Harry asked, giving Draco a suspicious look.

Dumbledore shrugged. “That's not actually important in the long run. Allow me to change the subject for a moment. Harry, do you remember why Horcruxes are a bad idea?”

“Well yeah,” Harry blurted out in confusion. “In an attempt to gain immortality, a person places a part of their soul in an object by severing it from themselves via an act of murder. Of course that's a bad idea!”

Draco seemed to be thinking this information over very carefully. He was now strongly suspecting that this whole thing was a ploy to either recruit him to their side, or make him fail in his mission without realizing it. He wasn't going to fall for their tricks so easily!

“What if I told you that there exists a bit of ancient magic that does some of the same thing, but doesn't rely on murder?” Dumbledore asked, his voice full of challenge and that mischievous twinkle was back in his eye.

“Er... I'm not sure I'd care, really,” Harry stated with a shrug.

Dumbledore grinned rather triumphantly. “I thought not. You differ from Tom because you value life and understand that it must come to an end eventually.”

Draco frowned since this was twice now that Dumbledore referred to a Tom, and Draco had no idea who that was.

“In any case, let me put it to you this way; there exists a very ancient spell that – when agreed to willingly – allows two people to exchange a little piece of their souls, reportedly giving them something very close to the purpose of a Horcrux.”

“Er... So wait,” Harry held up a hand as he thought this through. “You're telling me that two people can become Horcruxes for each other? Then why don't people do this all the time?” Harry wondered.

“It's a permanent bond. It's not meant to be entered into lightly, and I must admit that it might not actually make them become Horcruxes. If it did, it probably would be used more often. That said, the book I found the spell in seemed to be purposely hidden, thus it may be that no one ever truly knew about it to use it – even back when it was created,” Dumbledore admitted.

“Then wait,” Harry muttered as he thought this through. “First of all, did Tom Riddle ever find out about this spell, and secondly, if so, why didn't he use it?”

“I cannot be sure of everything Tom learned, but I do not think it likely he discovered this book before I did. He would not have left it there,” Dumbledore conjectured. “More importantly, think about it, it's a spell to bind two people together. Would Tom have wanted that?”

“No...” Harry stated with a thoughtful tone of voice. “Voldemort is not exactly someone who wants to share his power and immortality. And oh God! Could you just imagine if he did this ancient bond with evil insane Bellatrix?!”

Draco narrowed his eyes at the mention of his aunt, but didn't say anything.

“I actually cannot imagine that in the slightest, Harry,” Dumbledore murmured softly. “First of all, the bond allows each partner to send thoughts to the other at will. Even though this is at will and does not allow the partners to read each other's minds without permission, I cannot see Tom agreeing to even the slightest possibility that someone might know his innermost thoughts.”

“He doesn't seem to mind me knowing them,” Harry grumbled a bit petulantly.

“Ah, but he plans to kill you,” Dumbledore reminded him. “What harm is there in you knowing his thoughts when you won't be around long to tell anyone about them. Besides, I do not think he has enough sanity left to care anymore.”

Harry shrugged. “Why are we talking about this? What does this have to do with the mission you want me to do?”

“The bond – whether or not it actually turns two people into Horcruxes for each other – _does_ actually offer a fair bit of magical protection for both partners. Neither can kill nor seriously harm the other. If one partner becomes injured – anything that does not kill them instantly – will be healed far more quickly by borrowing magic from the other partner. Even better if they are touching at the time. Thus, illness is also less likely because of the bond.”

Harry frowned. “Is... Is that all of it? Sending each other thoughts, not being able to kill each other, and better healing?”

Dumbledore chuckled. “What more would you like there to be?”

Harry shrugged again. “Nothing in particular, it just seems like a lot of trouble to actually bond yourself to someone for life for so little. I mean maybe if they were in love or... Hang on! This is a bloody marriage spell you're talking about!”

Dumbledore chuckled even more, his eyes more mischievous than ever. “I wondered when you'd figure that part out.”

“Wait, I'm still not following you,” Draco interrupted them. “Seriously, what does this have to do with anything?”

“Ah, well, you see, you need help but a certain someone cannot know about it,” Dumbledore began. “You don't trust anyone to help you, and you know that you'll likely die if you fail. I think I have found a way to not only help you succeed, but also offer you a bit of protection if you don't. It really is a win win situation for you.”

“Er...” Draco droned in confusion. It really sounded like Dumbledore was offering to have Harry Potter – the Chosen One and Champion of all things supposedly “good” – _help_ Draco. Help Draco help _the Dark Lord_...

Harry put his hands on his head and rubbed his temples. This was starting to sound like Dumbledore wanted Harry to  _marry_ Draco Malfoy! Or at the very least, form a permanent lifelong bond with him. This seriously could not end well!

Dumbledore changed his kindly grandfather-like smile to a rather devious smirk. “I think I may have forgotten to mention the most important part – as far as you will be concerned, young Malfoy. It is my strong belief that if you can access each other's magic for healing purposes, then you should be able to access each other's magic at other times when the need is great.”

Draco sat up in bed, wincing as his mostly healed wounds tugged a bit uncomfortably. “Wait! Are you serious?! You want to  _give me_ access to Potter's magic?!”

“Yes,” Dumbledore stated simply, his voice deadly serious.

“But why?!” Draco questioned in astonishment even as Harry gaped at Dumbledore.

“Because – my young and foolish boys – both of you need to succeed, and you both have a much better chance of doing so if you work together.”

“That makes no sense!” Draco blurted out. “If I succeed, then I give the Dark Lord the power he wants! If Harry succeeds, the Dark Lord is defeated! We can't _both_ be successful!”

Dumbledore winked at him. “Ah, but you don't actually need to put Tom – er Voldemort – on a throne in order for  _you_ to be successful. You don't need to win the war for him. You simply need to do what you've been ordered to do.”

“But!” Draco protested, far more flustered than Harry had ever seen him. He even ran a hand through his perfectly groomed hair and messed it up. “If you actually _knew_ what it is that I'm supposed to do– ” 

“No, do not tell me,” Dumbledore interrupted him hastily. “It is enough for me to suspect.”

“Wasn't going to,” Draco grumbled with a murderous expression.

“Wait a bloody minute!” Harry roared, holding up his hands. “I'm still trying to understand... It sounds like what you are saying is that you want me to bloody well _marry_ Draco sodding Malfoy! And I don't even understand _why_?!”

This caused Draco to snap his full attention to Harry as it occurred to him that Harry had a very valid and very alarming point.

“The benefits work both ways,” Dumbledore said, sounding slightly confused. He had thought he'd made it clear that the benefits were worth it, but perhaps not clear enough. “You would have extra healing and magic when you needed it, and a slight possibility that the theory is true – that nothing could kill either of you while the other one is alive.”

“So we'd both have to be killed together,” Draco murmured thoughtfully. “And if we stayed away from each other, we'd both be protected.”

Harry pulled on his hair and paced the small area next to Draco's bed in frustration. “Oh God, there's that immortality thing again! What's so wrong about living a normal life and dying when it's over?”

Dumbledore chuckled. “You misunderstand me, Harry. I have read nothing to indicate that this bond would prevent you from growing older or dying when it's your time. Just... hopefully not before then.”

“I notice that you keep avoiding the subject,” Harry growled softly. “ _Why_?”

Dumbledore tilted his head in definite confusion.  _What part of this haven't I explained?_ “This bond will help you help each other bring about an end to the war.”

“I understand that's what you want, but I am asking why we need the bond if you just want me to help Malfoy,” Harry stated somewhat coldly. “Surely I can do that without tying myself to him for the rest of my life!”

_Oh..._ Dumbledore sighed. “Harry, you nearly killed young Malfoy earlier today, and while I  _know_ you did not mean to, you owe him every bit of protection that you can offer. He needs to know that his life is not going to end in the next few months. He needs to finish his mission and you need to finish  _yours_ .”

“!” Harry made a sound of protest, but Dumbledore held up a hand to keep him quiet. 

“I know that I haven't given you all the details of your mission yet, but it is something you will know _in time_...”

Harry sighed unhappily. “Yeah, alright, fine. I said I wish I could help, and I meant it, and I  _do_ owe Malfoy my protection as much as possible. How could I ever be at peace again if I didn't make amends for what I nearly did?”

Draco was gaping. “Merlin and Salazar! Did you just – Potter! Did you just agree to  _marry me_ ?!”

“Yeah, I suppose I did,” Harry grumbled, still not happy about the prospect. He turned so that he was looking at Dumbledore with his back mostly to Draco. “But this is mental! I'm not even of age yet for another couple of months, and married... I vowed to myself that if I ever got married, I was only going to do it once. That I'd do whatever it takes to make it work – death do you part and all that – but now you're telling me that this is an unbreakable bond that is half guaranteed to make sure that I live as long as possible.”

“Unless Tom kills you,” Dumbledore reminded him with that mischievous glint in his eyes again.

“Great, thanks!” Harry muttered sarcastically. “Now I have to hope that Voldemort kills me.”

“Better than being afraid of it, don't you agree?” Dumbledore asked with a wink.

Harry rolled his eyes and tilted his head side to side. “Well, maybe.”

Draco heaved a heavy sigh. “If it means surviving to protect my mother and father, I'll do anything. Even if it means marrying  _you_ ...”

Harry cleared his throat. “Er wait. How does this marriage bond thing work? Is it legal? Does it mean that we have to live together or – oh God!” Harry was now blushing a deep shade of scarlet.

Dumbledore reverted to his trademark Grandfatherly smile. “A marriage like any other in which the two of you decide the details. If you want to live together or anything else is entirely up to you. And yes, it's legal if you wish to have it registered at some point. If you do not, then it's possible to keep it hidden and have other marriages made legal.”

“Married twice at the same time?” Harry asked with an amused smirk despite his rather traditional feelings on marriage.

“If you wish. Our wizarding laws can be rather flexible about such things for the right price,” Dumbledore informed him with another mischievous wink. “In any case, I planned ahead for if you both agreed to this.” 

He held out a pair of rings that had previously been hidden in a pocket. They were both thick gold bands in a manly design with approximately quarter inch squared diamonds set into the band. Harry wasn't sure why, but they looked a bit “antique.”

Harry swallowed nervously as his throat suddenly went dry.

“I obtained these in my youth, thinking I might need them, but as it turns out, I did not,” Dumbledore stated, mostly hiding his sadness, but Harry could feel a little of it leaking out anyway. “Thus, they will be perfect for the two of you. The only magic on them is beneficial. Should either of you need to make a quick escape, simply twist the band so that the stone faces down, and then press on the stone and say 'Portus.' That will activate the portkey and bring you to wherever the other ring is. Unlike most portkeys, these were created before regulations restricted how they could be used, thus these will remain permanently active no matter how many times they are used – so long as you wear them regularly. And they are not tracked...”

“That could come in handy,” Draco murmured with a small but rather devious grin.

Dumbledore simply nodded in agreement, and then handed each of them one of the rings. “Are you ready?”

Both boys sighed in defeat and muttered something along the lines of: “If I must...”

“Rings on the left ring finger please, and then clasp your left arms, like so.” Dumbledore demonstrated by holding his palm to the inner part of his other wrist. 

It took the boys a long moment to stop eyeing each other up warily and actually do as told. Once their hands were joined – Harry having reached out first – Dumbledore started chanting a very long and complex spell in an archaic language. As he did so, both boys began to glow.

Harry watched in fascination as his golden-white glow seemed to slowly get brighter under his palm, as did the light that was more white with hints of gold that surrounded Draco. Both of them inhaled a bit in surprise as they felt a tugging sensation. Neither could be certain just exactly what was being tugged on, but they guessed that it was probably their magic. Had they asked Dumbledore, he would have told them that it was their souls.

The moment seemed to drag on longer than either was strictly comfortable with, but Dumbledore eventually stopped talking. They were still glowing, so the spell was still working, but the chanting was done. Dumbledore watched them glow with fascination. Harry looked over at him curiously since the light was starting to make his eyes hurt.

Dumbledore would never admit this to anyone for as long as he lived, but he was rather curious to see just how far he could push these two. Thus – out of sheer mischievousness – Dumbledore announced: “And now you seal the bond with a kiss.”

“Oh for the love of –” Harry grumbled, feeling like he really should have expected this. Steeling himself, he leaned over and pressed his lips to Malfoy's.

Very unexpectedly, the magic of the forming bond liked this symbology, and took over. Draco found his right hand pressed to the back of Harry's neck, holding him still. Harry found himself hesitating for a moment before the magic prompted him to slide his tongue across Draco's lips, which parted. For the rest of the formation of the bond, the magic compelled them to kiss each other like they'd never kissed anyone before – that is to say with an astonishing amount of passion.

Dumbledore watched this in fascination, willing to admit that the interactions between the two were always volatile, so it actually made a bit of sense that they couldn't simply kiss without chemistry getting involved. He was also willing to bet that they would try to hex each other once the spell released them from its grip. However, as the spell took its time, Dumbledore started to suspect that he should quietly back out and erect a strong privacy barrier around the bed. Wedding night and all...

Just then, the light grew to such intensity that Dumbledore had no choice but to cover his eyes. Then it flashed a moment before disappearing. After that, the room almost seemed pitch black – which it sort of was. This whole meeting had been conducted under the light of a nearly full moon streaming through the window, but nothing else.

It took a moment for the boys to realize that they had been released from the magic. Harry pulled back and let out an uncomfortable little cough. Draco flushed and looked away.

“It appears that the bond has formed,” Dumbledore stated with a highly amused grin. “Shall we test it?”

“Er...” Harry was scrambling to get his mind off that shocking kiss and onto whatever Dumbledore was saying.

“I think... A simple stinging hex should suffice,” Dumbledore suggested.

Draco was slightly quicker on the uptake, grabbing his wand off the table next to the bed and taking full advantage of the fact that he had the Headmaster's permission. Completely happy to have an opportunity to hex Harry, Draco cast the stinging hex, and then frowned as it seemed to do nothing to Harry. Speaking of, Harry returned the hex simply because he couldn't believe how eager Draco had been to hex him!

Draco looked lost in thought after he realized that the stinging hex felt like a slight tickle. “It... worked?” He rubbed his left hand over his face.  _Oh Merlin's deformed left testicle! I'm never going to be able to hex Potter again!_

Then something caught Draco's attention. He stared at his wrist as if looking at the wrist of someone he had never seen before. A softly whispered Lumos help shed light on the situation, quite literally.

“What the...?” There on his wrist was now a golden tan colored tattoo of a magnificent stag. Sort of ironic since mere inches above it – under his pajama sleeve – was a rather different type of tattoo that no one uninitiated should ever be allowed to see.

Harry noticed what Draco was staring at and looked to his own wrist. Sure enough, he now also had a golden tan tattoo, but his was of a dragon. This made no sense! Harry frowned at Dumbledore.

“Why has he got a tattoo of my Patronus but I've got a dragon?”

“I would assume that his Patronus is probably a dragon,” Dumbledore answered. “This is likely the symbol of the bond – to show that you each carry a bit of the other's soul.”

“Great,” Draco muttered. “How am I supposed to explain this to my parents?”

“I imagine that they would not be happy with but would understand if you blamed it on some sort of youthful indiscretion – such as losing a bet or a spell gone awry,” Dumbledore replied airily.

“Got drunk and lost a dare,” Harry offered. 

Draco merely shrugged, thinking that one or all of those might work depending on the mood his parents were in at the time. Then again, by the time he went home and they saw it, he would be of age and could claim that it was an impulse decision for his birthday, and they couldn't exactly do anything about that. Maybe – if he was careful enough – they would never find out.

His father was currently in Azkaban anyway...

Draco rubbed a hand over his face again and sighed as he lay back down. “If you don't mind, I'm rather tired now.”

“Of course,” Dumbledore stated in understanding. “Oh, before I forget, Harry my boy, here's a bit of reading I'd like you to do for your next private lesson.” He handed Harry a book titled: Advanced Magical Repairs for When You've Tried Everything Else and Nothing Works.

“Er... yes sir...” Harry murmured in confusion as Dumbledore left the Hospital Wing.

“You have private lessons with the Headmaster?” Draco asked curiously, and then narrowed his eyes and wrinkled his nose in distaste. “Of course you do,” he grumbled a bit petulantly. “Wouldn't be the Chosen One if you didn't. No wonder he didn't expel you for nearly killing me, he can't groom you to fight the Dark Lord if he expelled you.”

“Listen, I really am sorry about that,” Harry murmured softly.

“I believe you,” Draco muttered as he held up his left wrist. “You wouldn't have done this in an attempt to make up for it if you weren't sorry.”

Harry sighed and summoned a chair from across the room to sit on. “So... what's this project you need help with?”

“I can't actually tell you that,” Draco sneered, giving Harry a look as if asking how stupid he was.

“Fine then,” Harry growled softly. “I'll just leave you to it. Good luck!”

As Harry walked away, grumbling about stubborn gits, he heard:  _arsehole_ ! Except for that he didn't hear it with his ears. Stopping in his tracks, he turned back to look at Draco. 

“What was that?” 

“I didn't say anything,” Draco denied, trying to look completely innocent.

“No wait. We're you simply thinking that or did you _try_ to send that to me?” Harry wondered.

“I'm... not sure...” Draco admitted slowly. “I'll admit to thinking _at_ you, but I didn't consciously try to send it to you.”

_I wonder how this works_ , Harry thought  _at_ Draco.

_Just like that, I suppose,_ Draco thought at Harry in return.

Harry spent a few moments trying to think of random things, but not  _at_ Draco. Draco simply watched him for a moment before his eyebrows raised in confusion.

“What are you doing?” Draco asked.

“I'm trying to see if it's all thoughts, or just ones I think at you,” Harry explained.

“Well, I didn't hear anything just then,” Draco stated, sounding bored.

_So if it's not all thoughts, then we really_ do _have control over what we send_ , Harry suggested, thinking at Draco.

_Apparently_ , Draco thought dryly.

Harry continued on his way, then stopped again and pulled out his map. It was still active from before, and all Harry needed to do was make sure that there was no one between him and his dorm and  _Merlin's scraggly beard_ ! Filch was headed in the direction of the Hospital Wing, but since he was alone, Harry figured that he must just be walking by.

Not willing to take a chance, Harry pulled his cloak on over him and waited to see what Filch did next. A moment later, Filch opened the door and whispered: “Mrs. Norris, my sweet, are you in here?” He left the door open as he walked in and looked around.

Harry took the opportunity to slip out and walk toward his dorm. He didn't get far before he jumped in surprise at Draco's voice in his head.

_That's surprisingly Slytherin of you. Just exactly how did you manage to get Filch to open the door right when you needed an unnoticed exit?_

Harry shrugged even though Draco couldn't see it.  _That part wasn't planned. I just happened to be leaving and he happened to open the door._

_Right..._ Draco drawled.  _And what was that you were consulting?_

Harry shook his head.  _Just the prefect schedule to see who was going to be patrolling where at this time of night._

Draco mental voice did not sound like he believed Harry.  _Hmph..._

_I thought you were tired_ , Harry pointed out.  _Go to sleep._

_Just because were married, Potter, doesn't mean you can tell me what to do! And Merlin's sweaty arse crack! Married! What the bloody hell was I thinking?!_

_I have no idea!_ Harry informed him.  _I mean I was just trying to help you and give you whatever protection I can to make up for nearly killing you, but why you agreed is beyond me._

Draco was silent for a moment, but Harry imagine that he was sighing.  _I did it because I hope I can use this bond to help and protect my parents._

_And Oh! I did not think this through!_ Harry mentally exclaimed.  _This means that I will be directly helping you protect your father – the man who has tried to kill me a few times over the years – almost as much as Voldemort!_

_Don't say his name!_ Draco hissed angrily.

_What? Voldemort? Voldemort, Voldemort, Voldemort! Or would you prefer Tom Riddle? Poor little half blood orphan who thought he was so clever that he split his soul via murder at the age of 17 so that he would never have to worry about dying. Except he sort of did for a while there and had to invite me to his resurrection party._

_Potter..._ Draco ground out in anger and frustration.

_Remember what you just said_ ? Harry asked a bit smugly.  _Just because we're married now doesn't mean you get to tell me what to do. If I want to call Voldemort an evil, repugnant, insane snake face, I can and you can't stop me!_

And then there was merciful silence. What Harry did not know – having reached his dorm by this point – was that Draco was suffering from a fit of the giggles that anyone had the audacity to say such things about the Dark Lord. If he so much as dared to  _think_ such things, he could be Crucio'd on the spot!

 

***

 

Harry woke up the next morning and slung one arm over his head as he thought about random things such as his classes and assignments, the fact that Voldemort wanted to kill him, how he hadn't had a real girlfriend yet, but that Ginny was starting to look better than ever. He was infinitely glad that Ron couldn't hear him think that last bit!

“Oi mate!” Ron called out softly as if summoned by Harry's thoughts. “Time to get uuuu what's that?”

“What's what?” Harry asked curiously, moving his arm off his head to look at Ron.

“It looked like a tattoo of a dragon,” Ron said, pointing at Harry's arm, the one that had been flung over his head, exposing his wrist.

“What?” Harry asked in confusion, then he looked at his wrist and remembered. “Oh...” He wondered if Ron would believe Dumbledore's suggested excuse of 'youthful indiscretions,' but probably not.

Ron watched Harry examine the new tattoo with both his eyes and his fingers. It almost seemed like Harry had never really seen it before. Which just made Ron even more curious about it. He wasn't the only one, Neville, Seamus, and Dean came closer to try to see it too.

Harry sighed and held it up for them to see. “Last night when I couldn't sleep, I ran across Dumbledore while roaming the castle, and he invited me to try a spell he'd found. It's designed to offer a bit of protection and healing, and he also gave me this ring as a sort of last resort if I should ever find myself in trouble.”

_There! If that doesn't explain it believably without giving away too much, nothing will!_ Harry thought to himself.

_Explain what?_ Draco asked curiously. 

_My new tattoo. I told my mates that it's a protection spell from Dumbledore,_ Harry answered without thinking too much about who he was talking to. Then it hit him.  _Merlin's saggy balls! I forgot for a moment that I could talk to you like this!_

“Alright...” Ron said slowly. “Rather strange of Dumbledore to just offer it to you out of the blue like that, but I suppose it makes sense.”

“Dumbledore is _always_ doing strange things!” Seamus reminded Ron with a scoff like he was thinking that Ron must have been living under a rock the past six years or something.

“True,” Ron admitted, and then shrugged.

_It's better in my case if I simply do not let anyone see my new tattoo. The ring I can explain away as a present from my mother._ Draco murmured, sounding if he also wasn't giving any real thought to the fact that they were talking. To each other. And not arguing!

“Right!” Harry blurted out. “Shower then breakfast!”

_I didn't really need to know that, Potter,_ Draco informed him frostily.

_But I was saying that out loud to Ron, not thinking it at you!_ Harry protested.

_You must have been doing both,_ Draco replied with a tone like he was shrugging.

Harry didn't reply as he grabbed his clean uniform and brought it into the shower area. His dorm mates followed because they also needed to wash up in the communal shower. Harry hummed to himself as he lathered up.

_Oh! Sounds like either Seamus or Dean is over there wanking..._

_Again, Potter,_ not  _something I need to know!_ Draco growled in frustration.

_Er... Sorry. Still not entirely sure how this works. I haven't been_ trying _to send you anything_ , Harry informed him.  _And I've been so busy talking to you I don't remember if I scrubbed my – er never mind!_ Harry blushed a deep shade of red, grateful that Draco couldn't see it.

_Well, perhaps if you pulled your mind and hands off your_ never mind  _and put them in your hair, you might be able to wash it so that it doesn't look like an Acromantula nest!_ Draco suggested snidely, but Harry would  _swear_ that he was snickering – and not in a mean way!

_I'll keep my hands on my_ never mind  _as much as I want and there's nothing you can do about it!_ Harry bristled indignantly, and then blushed even harder.  _That didn't come out right..._

Draco definitely sounded like he was laughing now.  _Perhaps I've finally discovered the reason that you always look like a blithering idiot! You simply can't keep your mind off your_ never mind _long enough to think of anything else!_

Harry groaned and banged his head against the wall.  _Shut it Malfoy!_

“Alright there Harry?” Ron asked in concern.

“Er, yeah. Just fine,” Harry ground out as mildly as he could.

“Sounded like it to me!” Seamus heckled, clearly laughing at Harry and probably thinking that there had been wanking going on.

_Damn it Seamus! I wasn't wanking, but you almost certainly were, so why are you winding me up?_

_Wanking in the shower, Potter? Why, whatever would the house elves think?_

“I wasn't wanking!” Harry roared in protest, thunking his head against the wall again.

His dorm mates all burst out laughing quite mercilessly at him. “Sure thing Harry!”

With a sigh, Harry finished rinsing off and got out of the shower. This was going to be a  _long_ day.

 

***

 

So, of course, Harry's first class of the day was Defense Against the Dark Arts taught by Snape and containing one pointy bastard that Harry was now married to. Harry propped his chin on his fist and sat thinking about how had agreed to the whole married bond thing far too easily. Had Dumbledore cast a Confundus Charm on him without him realizing it?

Seriously, he had not thought about this at all! Shouldn't he have spent – oh I don't know – at _least_ _five minutes_ considering all options before agreeing? And more importantly, if Dumbledore _had_ confounded him into marrying Malfoy, _why_?

“Potter?” Snape sneered. “Is there a particular reason why you're just sitting there like flobberworm? An especially idiotic one?”

“No sir,” Harry muttered wearily. “It's just my natural state by now, I suspect.”

Snape looked like he didn't know whether to take house points away for cheekiness or award them for Harry having the willingness to insult himself. However, since most of the class was choking back incredulous laughs, Snape decided that 10 points from Gryffindor was called for, and then had to shut up before he let it be known that he couldn't exactly threaten Harry with detention since Harry already had to serve them for the rest of time for nearly killing Draco. Harry almost smirked when he realized this.

_Ha! I think I sort of half won that round!_ Harry mentally congratulated himself.

_Don't be absurd!_ Draco retorted and Harry could actually hear him snort from across the room.

“As I was saying before Potter so rudely interrupted us, we'll be going over any pitiful progress you have made with your nonverbal magic,” Snape informed the class. “Thus I want you to partner up and practice casting hexes and shields _nonverbally_.” 

Harry knew that it wasn't really all that safe for him to be the one hexing Ron when he couldn't put up a shield nonverbally that often. Or at all, really. He'd done it once or twice very sporadically. Thus Harry needed to wait for Ron to manage a hex or two.

Meanwhile, Hermione was in a similar situation. She could do quite a bit nonverbally, but her partner couldn't. Thus she needed to wait to counter what her partner could manage.

Hermione was doing her best to be patient and help her partner out. She gave plenty of advice and tips, that were very helpful except... well a person had to be  _able_ to do the magic nonverbally, and that was not so easy, no matter how helpful the advice.

“Er, mate?” Harry addressed Ron a bit hesitantly. “Would you mind if we switched partners for just a few minutes?”

Ron looked an interesting cross between miserable and curious. “With who?”

Harry gestured, and then called out softly so as to not disturb anyone. “Hey Hermione, send your partner to Ron for a few minutes so that you and I can try this.”

Hermione looked delighted by this suggestion for a moment before quickly hiding it. “That sounds like a good idea. Maybe a change of partners will help you out,” she suggested to her partner.

Ron looked like he couldn't decide whether to be suspicious, jealous, or accepting of Harry's suggestion. To his credit, he brushed those feelings aside and focused on his new partner.

Harry smiled at Hermione and gestured an invitation. “You hex and I'll shield.”

“Take turns like a duel?” Hermione wondered a bit too casually.

“Since when do you duel?” Harry wondered.

“You know I don't, except for DA practices, when necessary,” Hermione murmured and Harry nodded in acceptance.

“Alright then. You first,” Harry insisted.

Hermione smiled just a tiny bit maliciously as she flicked her wand at Harry and Harry immediately countered with a shield and then added a hex. The two of them weren't dueling as such because they both took clear turns and gave just enough warning to allow for a shield. Also, neither was putting a lot of effort into the spells because it was just practice and they wanted to conserve energy and keep going as long as possible.

Even so, since they were pretty much the only two in class who had clearly learned at least a few wordless spells, they very quickly drew attention from the rest of the class. Neither really paid any attention to the others. The most amazing thing of all was that Harry had only asked for a few minutes because he was certain that Snape would put a stop to them and split them up almost immediately, but strangely, he didn't. Instead, he stood leaning on his desk and watched them a bit curiously.

Their casting back and forth got faster and faster until they really were dueling. And while still relying on shields to protect them, they had to move side to side and back and forth to cast and dodge. It started to vaguely look a little bit like a dance.

The weirdest thing of all was that Harry wasn't normally this good at nonverbal magic. He could do it if he  _really_ concentrated, but usually it was hard for him. Also, normally he wasn't practicing with someone he trusted so completely. Not that he didn't trust Ron – because he did – it's just that he knew that Hermione was good at nonverbal magic and could counter anything he sent at her. Thus he trusted that she could duel with him and that he didn't need to worry about hurting her, and maybe that was why he was having the best duel of his life, so far.

_Bloody show off!_ Draco grumbled at him.

This distracted Harry just enough that he didn't put up his shield in time to block the spell that Hermione had cast. Which – judging by the powerful jet of air that sent Harry flying across the room and into the wall quite painfully – must have been a Deprimo.

“Harry!” Hermione cried out in distress, running to his aid.

Thankfully, Harry had seemed to fly into the wall rather equally, so that the impact was spread out. Had he not, he was almost certain that his skull would have shattered. As it was, he felt like he had been run over by a steamroller.

_Ow..._ Harry thought, in far too much pain to truly feel any of it. His mind seemed to float above his body.

In a matter of seconds after his impact, Hermione had arrived at his side and abandoned nonverbal magic to frantically cry out first aid spells that stabilized him, immobilized him, and levitated him off the floor for easy transport. Then she moved him toward the door, glaring at the handful of students who had moved closer in an attempt to see better.

“Out of my way!” She snapped and her gaze promised to murder anyone who didn't listen instantly.

Snape had quick enough reactions that he had reached Harry a second after Hermione and would have done everything she had if she hadn't already done it. He silently approved of her work and was tempted to give her points for it. Also, he was tempted to give her points for blasting Harry in the first place. However, this wouldn't do, so he compromised by not taking any points away from either of them for this situation happening.

In fact, he backed her up the best he could without being seen as helping her. “Everyone back to your lessons as it is clear to me that none of you would have lasted five seconds in that duel against our so called  _chosen one_ ,” he sneered this to be clear that he considered it an insult rather than a compliment. “Aside from Malfoy, who at least seems to be efficient with his nonverbal shielding.”

After that, he retreated to his office and cast a spell to activate one of the communication devices so that he could warn Madam Pomfrey. “Poppy, Potter was blasted quite forcefully into a stone wall and is on his way to you. He was bleeding indeterminately from the head in at least three places and likely has broken bones. He seemed semi conscious last I saw him, but I don't expect that to last long as I'm certain the pain has sent him into shock.”

“I'll be ready,” Madam Pomfrey promised. “What happened?” 

“A shockingly competent duel between him and Miss Granger. Something made him hesitate and he didn't put up a shield in time,” Snape explained.

“Oh! I hear Miss Granger shouting, so she must be close. Thank you for alerting me, Severus.” Pomfrey cut off abruptly.

In the hospital wing, Pomfrey cast a spell to have the doors fling open and also levitated things so that nothing could possibly be in the way. When Hermione arrived with Harry, Pomfrey wordlessly pointed to the nearest bed. A moment later, she took over the levitation when she realized that Hermione was growing tired from the continual strain on her magic.

After that, her first priority was to assess Harry, which she did with a series of diagnostic spells. She determined that there were a large number of bone fractures throughout his body, but that his head was the worst off, having been cracked – which had caused bleeding in a few places. This was going to take some work, but he would be better in no time.

“Nice work and quick thinking, Miss Granger,” Pomfrey praised gruffly as she summoned a couple of vials. “Here's a calming potion and a potion to restore some of what was drained from your magic. Go wait somewhere else while I fix up Harry.”

“Yes Madam Pomfrey,” Hermione nearly whispered because she was quite shaken at the moment. She downed the potions and then left to sit in a chair in the corner where she could watch Pomfrey work without being in the way.

Ron came to see what was happening the moment Defense class let out. He had a free period anyway. Despite his very deep concern for Harry, he focused his attention on Hermione and was able to pull her out of the depressed trance she had fallen into.

“Wasn't your fault,” Ron assured her. “I saw him lose focus, otherwise he would have easily blocked that.”

“I know,” Hermione whispered. “I just... I keep thinking how terrible it would have been had I killed him. Not just... Not just because I would have killed my best friend, but because he's needed to do something very important.”

Ron rubbed her back comfortingly. “That didn't happen,” he said, keeping his voice just a few hairs higher than a whisper so that he didn't upset her.

“I know,” she exhaled in relief.

Neither of them really gave him any attention, but Draco walked in a few minutes later. He silently made his way to a bed at the other end of the Hospital Wing and sat on the edge as he waited for Madam Pomfrey to finish with Harry. She had asked him to come back after his class so that she could check on the last little bit of healing his injuries needed – being damage from a nearly deadly curse after all. She needed to ensure that she hadn't released him before he was ready.

“Be with you in just a few minutes, Mr. Malfoy,” Pomfrey informed him with her attention still mostly on Harry. By this point, all of the minor fractures and most of the major ones had been healed. There was just a bit more that needed to be done to be certain that the cracks to his head were healing from the initial attention she'd given them – since they had been the first thing she'd seen to.

“Yes, Madam Pomfrey,” Draco murmured. He sounded almost as tired as he felt, so he lay down.

Madam Pomfrey promptly got so absorbed with what she was doing that she forgot that she wasn't alone. “That's odd. He's healing much faster than he should be... It should have taken me a few more hours, but...” Then she remembered that she probably shouldn't say such things out loud in front of others. However, two of them were practically Harry's only family.

Pulling her magic out of Harry now that it wasn't needed, Madam Pomfrey gestured for Hermione to come closer. “Did you cast any healing spells on Harry?”

Hermione shook her head. “No. The only one I know is Episkey and I wasn't sure that would help and I didn't want to make anything worse.”

“Hmm...” Pomfrey hummed as she bit her lip in thought. “Well, in any case, you'll be glad to hear that he's healing rather astonishingly well. I would not be at all surprised if he wakes up soon. Of course, he's still confined to hospital until I am certain he's fine.”

Then she abruptly walked over to Draco and cast diagnostic spells on him. “You also seem to have completely healed faster than expected, but now you are feeling fatigued, so perhaps I let you go to class too soon. Just lay there and rest.”

“Yes, Madam Pomfrey,” Draco murmured, already half asleep. _Thrown into a wall and all he said – thought – was ow..._ This continued to amuse and annoy Draco. He was pretty sure that he would have been crying. However, he did nearly die recently, and the pain had been so intense that he just sort of lay there soundlessly. So maybe ow really was an accurate description.

_Well it hurt,_ Harry thought at Draco.

_Are you awake?_ Draco wondered, since he himself seemed to be almost asleep.

_Probably not. Maybe just a little. I think Ron and Hermione are nearby, but I don't feel like waking up and looking around. So tired..._ Harry thought, definitely sounding drowsy.

_Then sleep..._ Draco murmured. And both of them did.

 

***

 

Closer to the end of the year – after the Gryffindor Quidditch team had won the house cup without him and he had rather impulsively kissed Ginny in front of everyone – Harry had been sitting in bed one day in frustration. He was watching Draco on the Map and knew without being able to actually see it that he was in the Room of Requirement again. Trying to do whatever it was he was supposed to be doing.

In frustration that Draco wouldn't let Harry help him like Dumbledore wanted, he simply read the book that Dumbledore had given him.

_When repairing a magical item and nothing else is working, here are several things to try. Why did Dumbledore give me this book? Does he want me to fix something? There's a section on destroying certain items, maybe that's why..._ Harry thought to himself, but like he did most of the time these days, he also projected to Draco, trying to reassure the other boy that he didn't have anything to hide and really did want to help – as Dumbledore had asked him to.

There was a pause.  _I don't know why he gave the book to you, but I'm bored with my homework and need to take a break. Why not read the book to me and maybe I can figure out why he gave it to you?_

Harry shrugged even though Draco couldn't see it.  _Why not? Alright so..._ He read the book, which probably would have been useful if he was trying to fix something, but since he wasn't, it was a rather dry read. Draco seemed interested though and kept asking Harry questions. Harry repeated certain sections a few times.

Suddenly, Draco sounded happier than he had in a long time.  _Er, I need to finish my homework now, so could you please think to yourself for a while?_

_Yeah okay_ , Harry replied as a younger student arrived in his dorm and handed him a note.  _Oh, it looks like I have a private lesson right now anyway so, er, good luck with your homework._

After another pause, Draco responded with a distracted:  _Thanks..._

 

***

 

This was downright weird! After Harry had gone on a mission with Dumbledore in which they tried to retrieve a locket while surrounded by Inferi, they had arrived back at Hogwarts to a Dark Mark hovering over the school. Dumbledore had insisted that Harry hide under his invisibility cloak, and then immobilized him. But none of that was the truly weird thing. The weird thing was that after talking to Draco in his head for so long, he suddenly couldn't. Or at the very least Draco wasn't paying any attention, which was unlikely with Harry shouting mentally for Draco to stop. He could only conclude that Dumbledore had stopped them from communicating somehow.

As he watched, Draco confessed that he was supposed to kill Dumbledore, only it was clear to the Headmaster and Harry both that Draco didn't have the nerve to do so. He was shaking so badly, and Harry could tell that he was terrified. Had Harry been able to move, he would have gone to Draco, taken his reluctantly wed husband in his arms, and reassured him that everything was going to be alright, so long as he  _didn't_ kill anyone.

But then Snape arrived, killed Dumbledore, and forced Draco to leave. Harry suddenly could move again, but stood frozen for a second as he watched Dumbledore fall, and then he was chasing Snape and trying to kill him. He actually wanted to  _kill_ him! Crucio at the very least.

But Snape got away. Harry was so mad that he couldn't think for a long time. By the time it occurred to him that he had a way to go directly to Draco and – presumably – Snape, something occurred to Harry.

“I need the Dark Lord to think he's winning. In fact, I need him to actually win for a bit,” Dumbledore had stated. And they had discussed Draco's mission, both back then and just now, and Dumbledore had clearly stated a few minutes ago that he knew what Draco's mission was and … And then he had offered Draco protection for his entire family. Which meant that Dumbledore had known that this – probably not his death, but everything else – was going to happen. Back at the beginning, he'd made it very clear to Harry that Draco needed to succeed, and so Harry made a decision to _not_ use his Portkey. It was quite possibly the hardest thing he had ever done. Or not done, actually.

With a sigh, he ran his hands through his hair.  _I don't know if you can hear me now, but I'm not going to come after you. I don't know how or why, but I am pretty sure this was all a part of Dumbledore's plan. Good luck with... well, surviving Voldemort's insanity, I guess._

Draco didn't respond at first, which worried Harry a bit. Just when he was about to give up and do something else for a while, Draco answered, sounding a bit numb.  _Thanks for your help and... Good luck, I suppose... with your mission..._

After that, they both took great care not to talk to each other for a long time.

 

***

 

_Did you know that when your scar burns you and you see what the Dark Lord sees – whether you want to or not – you cannot help but project that to me?_ Draco informed him rather unexpectedly when Harry was trying to fall asleep. Earlier that night, Harry had gotten a distressingly good look at what Voldemort had forced Draco to do – which was Crucio the Death Eaters that had failed to capture him and his friends earlier.

_Which means that I not only had to do it, but I had to hear it from you from the Dark Lord's perspective, which was disorienting and hard to cope with. However, I also felt a bit of his sadistic pleasure at what was happening, and I think that helped me do what he wanted me to. Which is strange to think about_ , Draco mused, sounding just plain weary.

_I'm sorry_ , Harry replied, also feeling a bit weary.  _I wish I could have done something to make him stop, but that's not how it works. I'm forced to basically sit here and do nothing as I watch him do terrible things._

_As am I, only he makes me do them too_ , Draco murmured. After that, they both fell silent, neither daring to truly talk to the other because of their respective situations. 

Harry stroked his tattoo, deep in thought. Why  _had_ Dumbledore bonded him to Draco? The two of them hadn't really done anything that they couldn't have done without the bond – aside from talking. They could/would have  _never_ simply talked without the bond, but with it, when they talked, it was largely without arguing. Which was strange all on it's own, really.

Harry sighed and looked at his ring for a moment.  _Married_ ... It just didn't seem real at the moment because marriage was supposed to be two people who loved each other who wanted to be together, but this was just... nothing... They didn't love each other, weren't with each other, and the only thing that proved it hadn't been some twisted dream was a tattoo. Well, and a ring and the occasional mental conversation.

He noticed that both Ron and Hermione were silently watching him. All of them were laying in sleeping bags on the floor together because they'd been too nerve-wracked to sleep on their own. They weren't saying anything, but they definitely noticed his actions. Harry had to wonder if they truly believed his explanation of why he had the tattoo and ring, but it didn't really matter at the moment. Maybe right now, they simply thought he was thinking about Dumbledore and their mission.

Tucking his arm into the sleeping bag, Harry closed his eyes and pretended that he was asleep until he actually was.

 

***

 

Harry and Draco were trying their best not to look at each other. Harry and his friends had been captured and brought to Malfoy Manor, and now everyone was pressuring Draco to confirm the identity of the Boy-Who-Lived-to-Annoy-the-Dark-Lord-to-No-End.

_You blithering idiot!_ Draco mentally shouted at Harry.  _I can't help you get out of this!_

Harry pointedly did  _not_ look at Draco.  _I know you can't._

Draco sighed heavily. “I can't be sure.”  _I wonder if the Dark Lord actually knows that he's been projecting to you as much as he does? The more I see what he projects to you and you project to me, the less sane I think he is, not that I ever truly thought he was sane to begin with._

Harry was torn between what was going on, the pain from Voldemort's thoughts that he was trying to suppress, and the mental conversation from Draco.

_Why didn't you just tell them it's me? I know you know_ , Harry wondered.

Draco was doing his best to look calm and impassive in front of the people around him.  _I don't really know why. Maybe... Maybe it's because we're married and I actually want to help you as much as I can. Not that I can do much of anything._

Harry was tempted to sigh.  _I wasn't able to help you either. So much for Dumbledore's plan._

_But you did help me. Didn't you realize that? When you read that book to me, I was finally able to fix that mother buggering cabinet_ , Draco informed him.  _My family – while not in the best of circumstances – are more or less safe from the Dark Lord at the moment._

_And Voldemort thinks he winning, which Dumbledore wanted. I still have no idea why_ , Harry admitted.

_Strategy_ , Draco stated, but even he didn't sound very convinced.

By this point, Bellatrix had taken charge and decided that the prisoners were going to be put in the dungeon – except for Hermione, who was going to be tortured. At one point, Draco was sent to the dungeon to retrieve Griphook, and he threatened to kill anyone who didn't stay back.

_I'll have to do it too, so_ please _don't fight me on this!_ Draco begged, sounding scared more than anything. Harry didn't fight, mostly because he was tied up and defenseless.

Due to circumstances and luck, the prisoners in the dungeon were rescued and Harry and Ron were able to save Hermione. In the brief struggle, Harry had obtained Draco's wand.

_Come with us!_ Harry thought desperately.

_I can't!_ Draco cried out in frustration.  _If I did, he'd kill my parents!_

Harry couldn't argue with the logic and he didn't have time to try, so he simply grabbed Dobby and Griphook and left. As it turned out, Bellatrix had managed to kill Dobby at the last second, which sent Harry spiraling into an emotional storm that lasted a while.

 

***

 

With a sense of clarity at last, Harry knew what he had to do. He steadily did what he had to do to obtain the Horcruxes. Did what he had to do to defeat Voldemort. And then, in the aftermath – as everyone was cheering for him – Harry sat there wondering:  _Now what?_

_What do you mean?_ Draco asked. 

Harry knew Draco was somewhere in the crowd – Harry had saved him a couple of times during the incredibly long and exhausting night. But he didn't really care to look just yet. To tell the truth, Harry was concerned because once again, he couldn't figure out why Dumbledore had told him to bond with Draco. The bond had accomplished very little.

Harry pulled on his hair as he realized that he had been talking to Dumbledore not too long ago, in a place somewhere between life and death, and he hadn't thought to ask the old man his current burning question.  _What was the point of forming a lifelong bond when it didn't really help either of us?_

With Luna's help, he slipped away from the great hall to tie up a few loose ends with Ron and Hermione. After that, he just wanted to rest. Once more, neither boy really talked to the other, except:

_Harry? I think we should talk about this some time_ , Draco had said at one point.

_Yeah_ , Harry agreed.  _When I wake up._

_Thank you for saving my life_ , Draco murmured very softly.

Harry just barely remembered muttering  _you're welcome_ before he was out cold.

 

***

 

Harry slept for nearly two days straight. After that, he woke up to find that he had been tucked into a bed in Ron's room at the Burrow. After eating enough to feed at least three people, Harry was laying down outside in a private area of their large yard, simply enjoying the feel of the sun warming him. Ron and Hermione sat nearby talking softly to each other, making him feel like they thought they needed to guard him, even now that it was over.

_Is now a good time to talk_ ? Draco asked.

_Yeah,_ Harry said, sitting up and looking around expectantly, which made his friends look at him curiously. Draco appeared right next to him, startling both Ron and Hermione. Harry gestured an invitation.

“You may as well sit down.”

Draco nodded in acceptance and complied, even though the way he fussed with his clothes announced that he wasn't comfortable getting them dirty.

“What are _you_ doing here?” Ron asked in astonishment.

“Talking,” Draco sneered snidely. 

“How did you even get here?” Ron blurted out his next question. “Our place is supposed to be safe from Death Eaters!”

Draco visibly blanched at that. Harry held out his left hand. “Can I see it?”

With a look like he was biting back a cutting remark, Draco held out his arm to Harry, who unbuttoned Draco's sleeve and pushed it up until it revealed both the stag tattoo and the Dark Mark.

“So you still have it,” Harry remarked. “I'd hoped that it would've disappeared with his death.”

“It doesn't hurt anymore and it has faded quite a bit. Maybe it will go away eventually,” Draco suggested hopefully.

“Harry...” Hermione breathed out in shock, her eyes wide as she took in the fact that Draco wore a matching ring and had a tattoo of Harry's stag. She wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but she had a strong suspicion.

Harry ran his right hand through his hair even as his left one held Draco's arm for inspection. He sighed heavily.

“Dumbledore asked us to form a bond the night after I nearly killed Draco,” Harry admitted. “And I think he may have cast a Confundus Charm on me because I basically agreed without giving it too much thought.”

Draco shrugged. “Even at the time, it was obvious that you really wanted to do something tangible to apologize and assuage your guilt. I don't think he had to confound you.”

“Maybe not,” Harry admitted reluctantly. “But ever since then, I've wondered why he asked us to do it. I mean – aside from me helping you fix up the cabinet like he wanted – the bond hasn't done anything useful.” This made both Ron and Hermione gasp incredulously.

“It healed me when I was unable to see a healer,” Draco informed him very quietly. “I could feel the protection it was intended to offer me. It somehow made it easier to shield my mind from the Dark Lord's repeated attempts at intrusion.”

“When did you need healing?” Harry asked, his entire face scrunched up in concern.

“That's not important,” Draco insisted quietly but firmly, tilting his chin up a little and looking away. “And I felt drained when you needed healing, so I know there were times when you needed it too.”

“Yeah,” Harry stated stoically. “There were.”

“So, maybe the bond served it's purpose after all,” Draco suggested with a shrug. “And we both succeeded like Dumbledore wanted.”

“So the question is: now what?” Harry said, feeling inexplicably sad. “We can't break the bond, so what do we do about it?”

“There's nothing to do,” Draco stated flatly. “We go our separate ways and never see each other again.”

Harry narrowed his eyes, not liking that suggestion. “And what will that accomplish? You stopped complaining about it, but I still project my thoughts to you without trying.”

“I stopped complaining because your random thoughts were a lot easier to deal with than when the Dark Lord projected his thoughts to you and you projected them to me. I honestly have no idea how you managed to not kill yourself in a desperate attempt to get rid of that,” Draco drawled with a wry smirk.

“Wait just a bloody minute!” Ron roared, finally finding his voice. “You mean that this whole past year, you've been bonded with _Malfoy_ and you didn't tell us?!”

“What was I going to say, Ron?” Harry wondered a bit defensively. “Oh by the way, Dumbledore decided that I should get married to Draco and I just sort of said yes.”

“ _Married_?!” Hermione gasped in shock.

Ron pointed at Harry's ring. At some point, he and Draco had stopped basically holding hands, and their hands were now in their respective laps. “The rings prove it, if you realize that they're wearing wedding bands and not just fancy charmed rings. But basically, in the Wizarding World, bonds can be formed for a lot of different reasons. Marriage bonds are the most common, however, these days, bonds in general are more symbolic than anything and can be easily broken if both partners want it.”

“So... how do they break the bond?” Hermione wondered.

“They just have to perform a ritual declaring that they want it broken,” Ron stated with a shrug. “However, because most marriage bonds are symbolic, they don't have things like extra healing and projecting thoughts. I am not so sure this bond _can_ be broken.”

“No,” Harry confirmed, shaking his head. “This isn't a regular bond. Dumbledore explained that this bond transferred a part of our souls to each other.” He held up his wrist to show off his tattoo again. “The bond is permanent.”

“Why would Dumbledore _do_ that?” Both Ron and Hermione asked incredulously.

“He thought that there might be a chance that we'd become Horcruxes for each other, only without having to kill anyone. Maybe he just wanted to ensure that neither one of us would die in the war, but here's the thing that doesn't make sense about that...” Harry trailed off and sighed as he took a moment to gather his thoughts.

When he was ready, he continued. “Before Voldemort tried to kill me during the Final Battle, I couldn't die even if I wasn't bonded to Draco. I was the last Horcrux that needed to be destroyed, and so long as  _he_ lived, so would I. I didn't know that until... Well first, I had watched Snape's memories and learned that Dumbledore always suspected that I had to die. That  _Voldemort_ had to kill me and destroy the Horcrux inside me. So, when he cast the killing curse at me, I was ready. I stood there and let him.

“And then... I had a near death experience. I sat down with Dumbledore and we had a nice long chat. He told me everything I needed to know – although I completely forgot to ask anything about this bond. Anyway, I have to wonder, if Dumbledore knew that I was already a Horcrux, then why...” Harry sighed again.

He ran his hands through his hair in frustration. “I just wish I knew what he was thinking! Yes, the bond helped but not so much that it was necessary to defeat Voldemort.”

“Well, in any case, Dumbledore _also_ said that it's only valid if we register it,” Draco pointed out, alarmed to realize that he felt genuinely upset that Harry really had died – or half died or had a near death experience or whatever – at Voldemort's hands. He had to push that aside and focus on what he'd decided before coming here. “Thus, we can just ignore that it happened and go our separate ways.”

“Can we?” Harry asked skeptically.

“Yes,” Draco answered succinctly. “If we don't register the bond, it's not valid according to the ministry, and then we can each get married to others as we see fit.”

“But...” Harry protested softly.

“But _what_?” Draco demanded with narrowed eyes.

“But I don't think I could do something like that. How would that work? Hey, I'm already sort of married but since I never see him anyway, why not get married? That sounds like an insult!”

“So don't tell him or her!” Draco snapped.

“I'd have to!” Harry exclaimed in frustration. “Could you honestly keep something so important a secret?”

Draco growled and then sighed. “Look, the only thing that matters in this situation – according to the law – is whether or not we register the bond and make it legally valid. If we don't, then it's not valid and so we can register other marriage bonds.”

“Well then, you go ahead and do that,” Harry grumbled petulantly. “But I can't. I was serious when I told Dumbledore that I was only ever going to marry once, and so my conscious would not let me get married again – legally valid or not.”

“Bloody Gryffindor!” Draco cried out in clear frustration. He flung himself onto his back and looked up at the sky.

“Harry...” Hermione murmured in sympathy, reaching out to take his hand and squeeze it. “You know that I would normally agree with you on something like this, but maybe Malfoy has a point. If it's not legal unless you register it, then maybe you should just forget about it and move on.”

“Could you?” Harry wondered, his tone more curious than anything.

“I... I don't really know,” Hermione answered honestly.

Draco sat back up. “Listen Pot – er Harry... I was raised knowing that I also would only get married once. To a pureblood witch and have an heir. I can't be sure, but maybe this was part of what Dumbledore wanted; to bring about an end to the Malfoy line. Who knows? What I  _do_ know is that if you're serious about not forgetting or ignoring our bond, then we have to do this right. By that I mean register the bond with the ministry and live together and go public and everything that being married entails.” He was half certain that this suggestion would scare Harry off and make him agree that they would never work together as a married couple.

“But you can't!” Ron roared in protest.

“Why not?” Harry wondered, thinking that Ron knew of a Wizarding law that he didn't.

“Because _you're_ Harry Potter – defeater of Voldemort – and he's Draco Malfoy, a Death Eater! If people knew you two got married, I can't even imagine the outrage!” Ron elaborated. “It would be one thing if you were in love – I'd say to hell with everyone else – but you can't even stand each other!”

Harry gave Ron a fascinated look. “Wait... So your only objection to this whole thing is that we  _were_ enemies and we don't love each other.”

“Well, what other objection is there?” Ron asked in confusion. 

“Oh... How about your sister? Or the fact that we're both blokes. Is that even legal in the Wizarding World?” Harry wondered.

“Yes,” both Ron and Draco answered, and Draco added: “Or don't you think that Dumbledore would have mentioned that bit?”

“And as for my sister,” Ron said at the same time. “I think that she might hate this whole situation, but I also think she'd respect you for sticking with a marriage that was basically forced on you.”

Hermione took a good long look at Harry – at how Harry had been almost depressed and angry when it seemed like Draco didn't want their bond, and now how he seemed tentatively hopeful. She shook her head, gave him a faint smile, and then sighed. “Harry, perhaps before you two decide either way – on whether to register the bond or not – maybe you should go away together and see if you even have what it takes to get along.”

“That's not a bad idea,” Draco admitted reluctantly. He _hated_ agreeing with Hermione on _anything_!

“Yes it is!” Ron protested in horror. “There would be nothing to stop them from _killing_ each other!”

Draco sighed heavily, rolled his eyes, and took out his wand. Without so much as a word of warning, he cast a powerful cutting hex at Harry. Harry responded by smiling at him rather fondly and shaking his head.

“You see?” Draco sneered the question as if Ron was too stupid to comprehend what had just happened.

“We can't hurt each other,” Harry clarified, turning his smile on Ron. “The bond won't let us.”

“Ah...” Ron murmured, feeling a strong urge to throttle Draco coupled with a strange fascination with this bond. Also, he noticed the way Harry seemed more interested than he'd been in a long time. “Well, if you really can't hurt each other, then maybe it's not such a bad idea.”

Hermione nodded in agreement as if it had been his idea rather than hers. “Go spend some time together doing fun things, and then if that works out, decide where you would want to live and spend some time just living together. If  _that_ works out, register the bond. If not, let it go,” she finished with a shrug.

Harry nodded slowly a couple of times. “That does sound like a good idea.”

“Where would we go?” Draco wondered curiously.

Harry shrugged. “The beach or an amusement park. You know, touristy things that muggles do.”

“Mug-! Er, right... We can't exactly be seen together in the Wizarding World at the moment,” Draco admitted with an aggravated sigh.

Harry smiled since Draco was being so reasonable. “I think we should both go to Gringott's – separately because I'm probably going to be mobbed by everyone in Diagon Alley, which will give you time to do what you need to. Anyway, we both go and convert as many Galleons to muggle pounds as we think we'll need, and then we can take turns picking places to go.”

“As much as _you_ think we'll need, or as much as _I_ think we'll need?” Draco asked, sounding suspicious.

“I'll take from my vault what I think I will need, and you take from your vault what you think you will need. That way, if we're at an amusement park and one of us sees something interesting to buy, we don't have to argue over it,” Harry explained.

“That's surprisingly a good idea as well,” Draco stated, sounding impressed.

Hermione grabbed Harry's hand when it looked like he was just going to stand up and leave. “Hold on...” When he settled and gave her a smile, she pulled her tiny purse onto her lap and opened it. (She had Apparated back to retrieve it and the rest of their camping gear from their still warded but abandoned campsite while Harry was still sleeping off the effects of the Final Battle.) Then she reached in and scrunched her face up in deep concentration as she dug around – her entire arm sinking into her purse. 

Finally, she smiled and pulled out a packet of brochures. “I picked these up to look at whenever I needed cheering up. There's a wide variety of places that might be interesting. More importantly...” She separated out her identification card. “You'll need one of these if you want to do certain things in the muggle world, so...” She closed her eyes and concentrated for a moment before casting a spell on her ID. A moment later, she held up two new ones, which she handed out to Harry and Draco.

Harry looked at his for a moment before grinning and pulling Hermione into a hug. He kissed her on the cheek. “Thanks 'Mione!”

She returned his grin, hug, and kiss on the cheek. “No problem, and besides, you would have had one already if your Aunt and Uncle gave a damn about you.”

Harry snorted derisively but didn't say anything. Draco looked confused but decided not to ask until later when Harry was relaxed and in the mood to talk.

Hermione didn't press the matter either. “If you'll notice, I made you both a year older than you actually are so that you can order drinks if you like. The birthdate will fix itself on your respective birthdays so that it reads correctly.”

Ron waited for Hermione to stop hugging Harry, and then placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. “I'll explain things to Ginny.”

“Thanks mate,” Harry stated in relief. “I'm actually rather surprised that you're taking this so well.”

Ron shrugged. “Can't say I like it, but a bond is a bond. I can't argue with it. It would be a bit like if someone cast a spell to change your hair permanently green. I could  _try_ to argue that it didn't happen, but it wouldn't change the fact that it had.”

Harry frowned. “This is one of those things that just makes sense to you because you grew up in the Wizarding World, isn't it?”

Ron nodded, which made Harry pensive.

“I would have thought that I'd learned everything there was to know about the Wizarding World by now, but I guess not,” Harry muttered.

Hermione chuckled. “No one knows  _everything_ about the Wizarding World, Harry.”

Draco pursed his lips and looked away as he purposely did  _not_ retort that purebloods did. He was going to give this marriage thing an honest try, and that meant  _not_ riling up the lesser two thirds of the Golden Trio. They all looked at him curiously, seemingly expecting him to make a sarcastic comment. When he didn't Harry smiled.

“Well then, we should probably get going.”

Draco looked at Harry cautiously. “Right... So, we're splitting up to go to Gringott's, and then what?”

“Do you think you'll need to go home and pack?” Harry wondered.

“A little,” Draco replied with a shrug. “And also to let my parents know that I'm going on holiday.”

Harry nodded. “I don't really own anything that fits, so I need to buy all new clothes anyway, but what little I have is still packed.” After he said this, Hermione remembered to pull his rucksack out of her miniscule purse.

“I'd give you my purse,” Hermione said as she handed him his rucksack. “But I have all my books and other things in here, so, sorry, but if you need anything else, you'll just have to come back and get it.”

Harry chuckled. “IDs and money; I'm pretty sure we can get whatever else we might need with that.”

Hermione took his hand and squeezed it rather tightly. “This is going to be the first time in almost a year that I haven't seen you every minute of every day. I'm going to miss you so much!”

“Same here, but you're going to go to Australia anyway, right?” Harry asked, returning the comforting squeeze.

“Yeah, but until now, I thought you'd be coming with me,” Hermione admitted in a soft voice.

“I'll be with you,” Ron reminded her gently, which made her smile at him.

Harry gave her a wry smile. “It's probably for the best if I'm not there when you find your parents and return their memories to them. They'll probably blame me...”

Hermione shook her head fervently. “I won't let them!”

Harry practically beamed as he was struck by a brilliant idea. “I tell you what, I'll buy one of those muggle mobiles and owl you the number. That way, if you need anything, you can call me.

Hermione grinned proudly and nodded. After that, Harry hugged Ron, and then stood to go. Draco was relieved that Harry was  _finally_ ready to leave.

“I'll Apparate to my house and pack since it will probably take you much longer,” Draco stated with an amused smirk, already picturing Harry being overwhelmed by grateful witches and wizards. “Then I'll go to Gringott's and meet you after.”

Harry nodded in agreement, and then they both Disapparated to their different destinations.

 

***

 

By the time that Harry got away from the throng of well-wishers and Draco got away from his parents – who were dismayed that he wanted to basically run off without telling them where or why, even though he was of age – it was rather late. Both were a bit tired and hungry. They'd agreed to go to a popular beach called Croyde Bay on the south western coast of Devon that should be relatively uncrowded since it was early May and summer hols didn't officially start for a while.

Once there, they argued over which hotel to stay in. Harry wanted the one in the middle of everything, but Draco wanted the one that was a bit secluded. In the end, Harry gave in because he simply got tired of arguing. So, they stayed at the Trimstone Manor Country Hotel.

Since Draco won the argument – partially because he offered to pay – he insisted that they get the best room available. By this point, Harry simply shrugged and gestured for him to get on with it. The woman who checked them in was suspicious of two boys who looked barely of age with a lot of money, but Draco had such a posh accent and mannerisms – not to mention downright snobby attitude – that she accepted their IDs and money and gave them their key with a minimum of fuss.

This left them looking around their room less than five minutes later. The best room available was a suite containing a sitting room, an en suite bathroom, and a bedroom with a king-sized bed. The bathroom was large and posh in Harry's opinion, but Draco sniffed haughtily before pronouncing it acceptable. The sitting room had a pot of hot water ready alongside a large selection of tea, which seemed like an excellent suggestion, so they each steeped a cup.

“I don't know about you, but _I_ could use a shower before we go anywhere,” Harry said. He'd been too tired to shower properly after the final battle and had had Hermione cast a few good cleaning spells on him before falling asleep, but that was before he had slept two days straight. He smelled a little ripe.

“Be my guest,” Draco stated with a wave toward the bathroom. “I'll just read through this little book on local attractions. Please try to hurry, we're booked for the restaurant in a half an hour.”

Harry nodded, knowing that it wouldn't take long to get clean. Once he was in the shower, he let the hot water soothe him. It was so wonderful that Harry simply rested his head against the wall with the water raining down his back. Maybe five minutes passed like this as Harry tried to process everything that had happened during the final battle. He was interrupted by a soft knock at the door.

_I'm sorry to interrupt you but I really have to use the loo. Can I come in_? Draco asked mentally since he didn't want to shout through the door or open it without permission.

_Yeah_ , Harry replied, shaking off his melancholy and reaching for the shampoo. The shower curtain was solid enough that Draco wouldn't see anything unless he tried, which honestly wouldn't bother Harry at the moment because of living in a dorm for so many years followed by living in a tent with zero privacy for almost an entire year.

Draco did his business quickly. As he was washing his hands, he talked to Harry mentally again.  _You're unusually quiet at the moment._

Harry chuckled as he rinsed his now thoroughly lathered hair.  _I'm trying not to think!_

Draco took his time drying his hands.  _About the what happened at Hogwarts between you and the Dark Lord?_

_Yeah_ , Harry admitted, resting his head against the wall again.

_You'll feel better after you've had something to eat_ , Draco suggested, not entirely sure how to treat the person who had actually defeated Voldemort. He slipped out of the bathroom, and Harry quickly finished scrubbing up and rinsing off. He used what was provided, thankful that it smelled good without being definitely feminine or masculine. It was actually some sort of citrus and herb scent, which Harry liked.

The moment that Harry was toweling dry, Draco mentally contacted him again.  _Since I brought plenty and you already said you're going to have to buy new clothes, I suppose you could borrow something of mine for dinner tonight. You're scrawny enough that my clothes should fit you, and before you ask,_ yes _they'll fit in among muggles._

Harry grabbed a different towel specifically for his hair and smirked at how obvious Draco was being at biting his tongue and not picking fights. It gave Harry hope that they might eventually get along.  _Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. I'll try it, but I'm not sure how well anything will fit._

Harry's back was to the door as he continued to dry his hair. Unlike normal, it had actually grown quite long during the camping trip from hell. Long enough that he could – if he wanted – wear it in a pony tail or a braid. This thought distracted him since it would probably be better to wear it tied back like Bill Weasley.

Draco suppressed an inhaled gasp as he once more opened the door and entered the bathroom. He lay a set of folded clothes on the counter, and then left without a word. Outside the bathroom, he pressed a hand to his chest and closed his eyes, grateful that Harry couldn't read his mind. 

At the moment, he was struggling to deal with a large amount of unexpected lust and it seemed like forever since he last shagged. It actually hadn't been all that long since the Slytherin Seventh Years had taken to bed hopping quite a bit to deal with the stress of living up to the Carrows' rather dark expectations. It had actually only been about a week or so, and that had been a rather fun threesome with Pansy and Blaise.

Draco took a deep breath and exhaled as slowly as he could, then he forced himself to think of all the ingredients to his favorite potion so that he wouldn't dwell on the image of a surprisingly alluring naked Harry Potter. A naked Harry Potter who was mere feet away slowly pulling on Draco's clothes. Clothes that Draco had worn before and would likely wear again. Perhaps soon... before they were washed so that they would still smell like Harry.

Draco groaned in longing and frustration, and this just so happened to coincide with Harry opening the bathroom door.

“Something wrong?” Harry asked in concern.

“Er... no,” Draco denied with a light blush, purposely looking anywhere but at Harry. “Just, er, just hungry and I thought you were taking too long.”

“Oh,” Harry murmured in understanding. “Well, I suppose we should go before our booking expires.”

Draco had to hold his breath and simply nod in response. The sight of Harry wearing his clothes was enough to make Draco want to attack until they were both on the floor and naked. He hadn't thought that simple black trousers and a green button up shirt would be so erotic, but on Harry...

If he were honest, Draco was in lust enough that Harry could have worn anything – even the baggy and ill fitting clothes he normally wore – and Draco probably would have still found it erotic at the moment.  _Merlin's rotting brain! I need to get drunk and then have a good long wank!_

Harry stopped abruptly – a foot in front of the door – and turned to look over his shoulder at Draco, who was staring intently at the floor. It was obvious that Draco hadn't intended to project that, so Harry wasn't sure whether to ignore it or...

“I think you used to complain a lot when I projected those thoughts to you, but since it's nothing compared to the thoughts you _usually_ project on that subject...” Harry trailed off with a shrug.

This caught Draco's attention, making him snap his eyes onto Harry. “What do you mean?”

Harry smirked a bit deviously. “Oh... just that when you're – er... not alone, you tend to project your thoughts, which at that point is usually incoherent babble.”

“I what?!” Draco blurted out in dismay and alarm.

“But don't worry, it's not like I see anything, so I don't know the details. It's mostly a lot of: 'Right there!' And: 'Faster!' Or: 'Harder!' So at least I _think_ you're not alone,” Harry stated, still smirking.

Draco was actually speechless. He was most definitely not willing to admit that a good portion of the reason he was speechless was because Harry sounded positively sinful when he tried to mimic Draco in the throes of passion. The sound of it had made his shaft twitch with interest.

Draco cleared his throat – twice – before he could speak. “I... didn't know I was doing that...”

Harry shrugged. “It wasn't worth complaining about.”

“Oh...”

Harry opened the door and beckoned for Draco to follow him.  _So, can I ask you something about a night about a week or so ago?_

Draco, now following Harry toward the restaurant attached to the hotel – named Tyme – stopped in his tracks and regarded Harry warily. “What do you want to know?”

Harry shrugged and continued walking, which Draco followed. _Just, well, from the bits you projected, I got the impression that there was more than one other person involved._

Draco nodded. _There was, but don't ask me who because I don't kiss and tell._

Harry gave Draco a tiny side-eye glare, but didn't say anything more. Draco could feel Harry's vexation anyway. Which made him wonder why Harry was upset. Did he think that Slytherins made a habit of blabbing their secrets?

Finally, Draco just had to know. “What?”

They had reached the restaurant by this point, and the décor made Draco shudder. Not because it was in bad taste, but because there was a sickening over abundance of Gryffindor red – which was  _not_ his favorite color.

Harry gestured that he would answer Draco once they were seated. A short conversation with the hostess later and they were seated at a cozy little table for two near the window, which looked out over a beautiful garden. The hostess explained their specials and recommended wines, and then left them to think until their waitress arrived.

Since Harry wasn't forthcoming on what had upset him, Draco asked again. “What's the matter?”

Harry frowned. “Well... it's just that I'm not sure how to handle this...  _situation_ ...”

“What situation?” Draco wondered.

“We are more or less married,” Harry stated in a voice just barely louder than a whisper so that no one else would overhear them. “But I don't think that either of us wants to have sex with the other. So I'm not upset with you playing around – after all, I was dating Ginny for a bit last year. That said, what if we _were_ considering – er... that... Wouldn't I then have a right to know some of the details of your past, er,” Harry was blushing a deep red by this point and faltered because he realized that he had basically just implied that he might consider having sex with Draco.

“Shags?” Draco supplied, thinking that Harry was too embarrassed to say it out loud. This rather amused him. “Don't tell me that you've never shagged before.”

Harry looked away because he wasn't sure it was fair to have to answer such a question when Draco had basically refused to answer a similar one. Unfortunately, this confirmed it anyway.

“Oh...” Draco murmured in surprise.

“There wasn't time or opportunity,” Harry admitted, and then nearly hugged the waitress from relief when she arrived to take their order.

The moment she was gone, Draco resumed the conversation – mostly because it was one of the few things they had managed to talk about without fighting, so far. “Alright, fine. I'll concede that if we really are going to try to make this marriage bond of ours work, then I probably should answer your questions about my sex life. Last week, I had a threesome with Pansy and Blaise.”

Harry tilted his head curiously, not expecting that. He had imagined Draco bedding Pansy and Millicent – or perhaps Daphne rather than Millicent – but not Blaise. Draco returned the curious stare for a moment.

“Why do you want to know?” Draco wondered.

“Think of it as morbid curiosity,” Harry answered with a half shrug.

“Anything else?” Draco asked, trying to sound bored because the topic held far too much influence over his shaft for comfort. He hoped that Harry would think Draco was actually bored and switch to a different topic.

“Actually, yes. How do you know you didn't get any infections or diseases from them?” Harry inquired, since – with as frequently as Draco projected sexual thoughts – it was likely there had been a _lot_ of playing around.

“There are detection spells all Slytherins use before shagging,” Draco explained. “And we know better than to forget protection spells and potions. Our House is meant to make alliances and remain pure. It wouldn't do us any good to have accidental pregnancies and distasteful diseases.”

Harry looked away again, giving himself time to think. Thankfully, the waitress arrived with their dinner. It was the special of the day, which was fresh caught fish from the ocean. Draco had ordered a pricey wine to go with it while Harry had opted for water. After they had everything they needed and sent the waitress away, Harry decided to just ask what was on his mind, once he gathered up the courage.

He cleared his throat nervously, took a few bites of his dinner, drank water, and then cleared his throat again.

“What?” Draco asked impatiently when it became clear that Harry planned to ask something but was too nervous or shy to actually do so.

Harry stared at his plate. “I noticed that the room you chose only has the one bed. Do you intend to... er...”

Draco was highly amused by Harry's stammering.

“What? Share the bed?” Draco asked in a way that was being purposely obtuse. “I suppose that's up to you. There was a sofa in the sitting room if you prefer.”

Harry sighed, knowing that Draco was being a prat by making Harry say it. “I  _mean_ , do you intend to do everything a married couple is supposed to, such as... shag...”

Draco nearly made a sarcastic commit to the effect of intending to shag as often as possible whether Harry was there or not, but he bit it back. “I suppose that is also up to you, since you have no experience in the matter and seem reluctant.”

“Well...” Harry was now picking at his food – which was delicious, he simply had no appetite at this exact moment. “I'm not ready for full sex just yet, but since it's a part of marriage and I do want to try to make this work, I'd be willing to try, er, lesser things.”

This piqued Draco's interest sharply. “Such as?”

“We kissed once before,” Harry reminded him, not daring to look Draco in the eye. “And I liked that more than I thought possible. Maybe we could start with that and just see where it goes.”

Draco responded with a simple smile. He was now looking forward to returning to their room. He wouldn't admit it if his life depended on it, but he had often thought about that one kiss and how it made him feel things he hadn't expected. With any luck, their next kiss would make him feel the same.

 

***

 

“So, I think that the first thing we should do tomorrow is go shopping,” Harry stated just after they'd returned to the room. “I _really_ need to buy new clothes and things.”

“Mmmhmm,” Draco agreed without even paying attention. He practically stalked Harry through the sitting room and into the bedroom. Harry faltered at that point because he didn't quite know what to do.

“Er... time to sleep?” Harry asked, turning to find Draco literally behind him. He yelped a bit in surprise.

“I assure you that if you share that bed with me, I will not molest you. However...” Draco pushed Harry up against the wall and kissed him quite thoroughly.

Harry stiffened in shock at first, but then relaxed. He didn't have a lot of experience snogging, but even he could tell that this was different than those few kisses he had shared with either Ginny or Cho. This kiss made his heart pound in his chest and he felt breathless and dizzy. After a moment of hesitation, he swirled his tongue around the one exploring his mouth.

This had the effect of making Draco lose control. He ran his hands up inside Harry's borrowed shirt, feeling every part of Harry's chest. When Harry moaned and arched into Draco, he shifted his mouth so that he could suck on Harry's neck. Meanwhile, his hands unbuttoned the shirt and slid it off Harry.

Harry gasped, not expecting this to feel so good. His head banged against the wall as he looked up to the ceiling – as if it held all the answers to his confusing questions. Draco licked and nipped his chest before sucking on his nipples, which made him gasp again. This was when Draco unzipped and slipped his hands into the trousers Harry was wearing.

Harry choked on a strangled gasp as he felt a hand on his very rigid and very naked shaft. “W-w-wait! Slow down!”

Draco pulled back and rested his head on Harry's shoulder as he panted heavily. Then he chuckled softly. “No underwear?”

Harry blushed and looked back up at the ceiling. “Er... I didn't have anything clean, so...”

“I'm glad I didn't know that or I never would have made it through dinner before dragging you back here,” Draco admitted softly.

“So you do? Want me, that is,” Harry clarified with an uncomfortable little cough.

“I think I'm insulted,” Draco stated dryly. “What sort of person do you think I am that I could do this to someone I didn't want at all?”

“A Slytherin?” Harry both stated and asked, sounding sheepish as he did so.

Draco opened his mouth to deliver a scathing retort, but then stopped. “Alright, I'll give you that one. Most Slytherins would do something like this with someone they didn't want if it worked to their advantage somehow, but that doesn't apply to me and you.”

“Why?” Harry wondered, genuinely curious.

Draco took a deep breath and decided to be honest. “Because even when I hated you the most, I wanted to do things like this with you.”

“You did?” Harry asked breathlessly.

“Yeah, well... back then, I was fantasizing about forcing you to do whatever I wanted and having you under my complete control, but yes, I wanted you. And more to the point, I never could have done those things for real,” Draco assured him a bit hastily lest Harry get scared that Draco was just waiting to rape him.

Harry took a deep breath as he thought this over, and then he exhaled slowly. “Alright. I'm still not ready for full sex, but I've liked everything so far. If you promise not to do anything I don't want, then we can continue this.”

“I promise,” Draco murmured, his lips against Harry's. 

This time, as Draco kissed Harry, Harry removed Draco's shirt. He wanted to feel everything just like Draco had done to Harry a few minutes ago. When his hands encountered scars, he broke off the kiss so that he could lick and kiss the scars.

“I'm so sorry,” Harry murmured, his tongue detouring to swirl around Draco's nipple.

“It's... water under the bridge,” Draco replied. He was going to say that it was okay, but it really wasn't. However, he understood that Harry hadn't meant to do it, and so he'd forgiven the terrible and nearly deadly act a long time ago.

Before Harry could change his mind, Draco laced their fingers together and led Harry to the bed. Then he focused on kissing Harry as they gradually removed the rest of their clothes. When Draco kissed a path down Harry's stomach, Harry clutched the sheets and didn't protest. More than half of him was dying to know if Draco was planning to do what it seemed like.

To Harry's surprise and delight, he was! Draco licked and playfully nipped Harry's rigidly erect shaft for a few minutes before sucking on it. Harry gasped and arched his back as the wonderful sensations nearly overwhelmed him.

“I think I'm –” He didn't have a chance to finish his sentence because Draco pulled back and shifted so that he was laying on top of Harry.

“I'm going to give you a minute to cool down,” Draco informed him, which made Harry think that they were just going to lay there staring at each other, but what Draco really meant was that he was going to stop actively touching Harry and simply kiss him. A series of soft and almost lazy kisses that were highly enjoyable even as they didn't make his head spin.

When it seemed like Harry was breathing almost normally again, Draco slid his hand between them and wrapped his fingers around both their shafts. He started wanking them slowly, aided by uncontrollable grinding from both of them. A whispered lubrication spell made things even better.

Harry groaned from the pleasure. Previously, he'd had  _no idea_ that this was even a thing. When he thought about sex between two blokes – which he had out of curiosity – he could only picture basic foreplay such as between a man and a woman, and anal sex. This was different and exciting on a whole other level!

To his utter mortification, Harry didn't have the stamina to last more than two minutes. Gripping Draco's shoulders, he threw his head back and arched into Draco as he pumped out thick white stripes between them. This turned Draco on so much that he promptly did exactly the same, which made Harry feel a little bit better.

Draco ended by giving Harry a kiss and snuggling up. They both yawned in between heavy panting, and Harry realized that he was rapidly drifting off to sleep. The lethargy was powerful, but he resisted it for a few seconds.

“Hey Draco?”

“Yeah?”

Harry smiled. “Thank you for making this brilliant rather than awkward.”

Draco smiled in return. “You're welcome.”

 

***

 

After a week, they moved to another beach, and another a week later, and so on until they had toured the entire southern coast and then some. They were both surprised to find that they liked surfing. Once they mastered it enough to not drown or need supervision, they took to it as naturally and enthusiastically as they had Quidditch. Surfing went a long way to helping them learn to get along and work together.

By the time Harry's birthday was approaching, they both had a good feeling about their bond and their future together. A week before Harry's birthday, they lay in bed one morning simply snuggling. Their sex life was pretty amazing in Harry's opinion, but he hadn't felt ready to try full anal – not topping  _or_ bottoming – because he was still rather afraid of getting hurt or hurting Draco. Draco accepted this without protest because they were doing everything else and having too much fun to be disappointed.

“So...” Harry began hesitantly. “I think we should go register our bond and find a place to live, unless you want to live at Grimmauld Place with me. But as fun as this is, we can't keep doing this forever.”

“The house you inherited from Sirius Black?” Draco asked because they had talked about it at some point.

“Yeah,” Harry confirmed.

Draco shrugged. “Why not? It's a part of my family heritage too, so it seems like a good place to start our lives together.”

“It's still pretty run down,” Harry informed him. “Much better than it was, but nothing as elegant as Malfoy Manor – from what little I remember of it.”

Draco kissed him on the cheek. “So? That just means that we  _have_ to redecorate it and make it our own.”

Harry smiled, realizing that Draco was actually pretty excited about the prospect of redecoration. Then he looked away so that he wouldn't have to see Draco's expression turn sour.

“And the last time I talked to Hermione, she told me that Molly and Arthur are throwing a birthday party for me, so I have to go to that,” Harry stated.

Draco frowned curiously. “And... you don't want me to go?”

“Well, I do, I just don't want to force you to go if you don't want to,” Harry admitted, knowing that a reluctant and grumpy Draco would spoil the party.

Draco gave him a tiny smile. “I well know that being married means that we will often have to attend parties that we don't really want to in order to support each other. You should have seen some of the ones my parents brought me too when I was younger!” After a soft chuckle and another kiss to Harry's cheek, Draco continued. “Anyway, I can make an effort to be nice to the Weasleys on your birthday. They are your only real family, after all.”

Harry hadn't talked much about the Dursleys, but from the way he avoided the subject and focused on how grateful he felt toward the Weasleys for basically taking him in over the years, Draco knew that Harry considered the Weasleys his  _real_ family. Which made them Draco's family too now. And family was important to him – even if they  _did_ have red hair and not enough Galleons in their vault.

Harry was so happy by Draco's response that he tackled his husband and gave him a very enthusiastic blowjob. Afterwards, Draco felt like his head was spinning, but in the best possible way. He grinned and pulled Harry back into a cuddle.

“I could get used to that! If _that's_ how you plan to reward me whenever I make you happy, I might just have to make a point of making you happy at least three times a day,” Draco drawled with an amused tone and a wide grin.

Harry kissed Draco quite thoroughly for a few long moments until he remembered that he had plans for the day. “I mean it. Let's get dressed and go register our bond.”

Draco gave him a tiny smile and nodded slowly in agreement.

“You don't want to?” Harry asked with a concerned frown.

“I do... I just can't help but feel that the moment we do, our little honeymoon will be over,” Draco admitted.

Harry shrugged. “So we take another one after Christmas. We can go someplace warmer and celebrate the new year,” Harry suggested.

Draco was rather fond of this idea. “Such as two weeks surfing in the Caribbean.”

“That sounds fun,” Harry agreed with a grin.

“Alright, let's do it,” Draco stated decisively.

Now inexplicably excited, they got dressed in clothes that Draco approved of as suitable for a semi formal trip to the Ministry, and then packed everything up and checked out of their hotel. Since Harry knew where the visitor's entrance to the Ministry was, he Apparated them to the alley with the unremarkable, old, broken down, red phone booth. Then he dialed the code 62442 and stated their business.

“Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy to register a bond.”

They were instructed to take their badges. Harry's said:  _Harry Potter, Bond Registry,_ and Draco's said:  _Draco Malfoy, Bond Registry._ Then the booth slowly sank into darkness. Draco looked nervous. The only time he had ever been to the Ministry before, he'd gone via floo with his father on random business.

“The Ministry of Magic wishes you a pleasant day,” the cool female voice informed them when they arrived in the Atrium, just before the door opened. Then it added something that Harry didn't expect. “And thank you Harry Potter for saving us from You-Know-Who.”

“That's new,” Harry muttered.

Draco didn't say anything as he followed Harry to the other end of the ornately decorated Atrium. They registered their wands, and Harry smirked because the man that stationed the security desk wasn't even looking at them as he did his job. When he looked up to hand them back their wands, he noticed Harry's name on his silver visitor's badge. Startled, he looked to Harry's forehead.

Harry simply waved as he led Draco toward the golden gates. The man spluttered, recovered his nerve, and then called after them: “Thank you, Mr. Potter!”

Harry gave him a tiny smile, grateful that the gates would stop the man from gawking at him. “Good day, Eric.”

“He knows my name!” Eric blurted out in astonishment, making Harry happy that he remembered it from the time he'd been called into the Ministry for a disciplinary hearing back in Fifth Year.

There was a small crowd in the hallway directly in front of the row of lifts. Harry and Draco stood at the back, not doing anything to call attention to themselves. Draco wore a rather smug smile as he wondered just how long it would take them to finish their task if everyone here suddenly realized who was standing behind them.

When a lift opened and they all piled in, it was then that Harry ran into a problem. He tapped on the shoulder of a witch wearing red Auror robes. “Excuse me; is bond registry on level five with the International Magical Office of Law, or level three with the Wizengamot Administration Services?”

“Level five,” the witch answered, sounding bored.

“Thanks,” Harry murmured before reaching over to press the right button. It was then that the witch took a good look at him and gasped.

“Harry Potter!”

Harry looked to the ceiling of the lift and sighed in frustration. “Er, hello.”

In the background, the automated voice of the lift announced:  _Level seven, Department of Magical Games and Sports, incorporating the British and Irish Quidditch League Headquarters, Official Gobstones Club, and Ludicrous Patents Office._

The witch seized his hand and shook it vigorously. “Thank you so much for defeating You-Know-Who!”

The rest of the half dozen or so people in the lift turned to pat him on the arms or back and praise him profusely. No one got off the lift and another three people got on – along with several interdepartmental memos. 

Harry was still awkwardly trying to figure out how to respond when the automated voice announced: _Level six, Department of Magical Transport, incorporating the Floo Network Authority, Broom Regulatory Control, Portkey Office, and Apparation Test Center._ Five new people got onto the lift then, making it rather crowded and more intimate than Harry was strictly comfortable with. His face was an alarming shade of red.

“Er... You're Welcome?” Harry finally managed to say, even though it sounded like a question because he had no idea if this was something he _should_ say. After all, he sounded like he was okay with causing a death.

This didn't stop them from trying to pat him and shake his hand. It was like they had to reassure himself that he was real, and thus the Dark Lord was really gone.  _Finally_ , the voice announced:  _Level five, Department of International Magical Cooperation, incorporating the International Magical Trading Standards Body, the International Magical Office of Law, and the International Confederation of Wizards, British Seats._

“That's us!” Harry announced, trying to politely extricate himself from the oppressive mob. Two new wizards were trying to crowd into the elevator, which kept the doors from closing despite the fact that Harry was practically stuck in place. His hands went to his head to tear at his hair in frustration.

“Oi!” Draco shouted with in impressive glare. “Move out of the way before I hex you all into a week long stay at St. Mungo's!”

“Oi, who do you think you are, cheeky bastard?!” An older Wizard demanded imperiously.

“I _think_ that I'm Draco Malfoy, Heir to the pureblood Malfoy family. More importantly, I obviously have better manners than everyone here! Your precious _Savior_ just told you that he needs to get off the lift, which is your cue to _move_ ,” Draco growled. He then grabbed Harry's hand and forcefully pushed their way out of the lift.

Unexpectedly, the witches and wizards recalled their manners and jostled to the side to let them go. Then everyone just stood there staring at the pair in shock because no one could believe that the two enemies were walking together as if this was normal. Everyone they passed stopped to stare too because by this point, it was obvious why they were attracting all the attention.

“Thanks,” Harry muttered in Draco's ear.

Draco snorted. “I really used to think that you sought out attention on purpose, but now I realize that you don't like it, which is strange. If you simply strutted around like you owned the place, none of them would have dared touch you.”

Harry shrugged. “Maybe, but that's not something I can do.”

Draco harrumphed but didn't say anything until they reached the receptionist. “Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter to register a bond.”

“Harry Potter?!” The receptionist blurted out, because obviously, this was the important part of that sentence.

“Er, hello,” Harry greeted with a shy wave.

It took over twenty minutes and a conference of what had to be every employee who worked on the floor to decide that the Head of the International Magical Office of Law was the only person qualified to handle Harry's request. Both boys suspected that this wasn't actually true. Surely a regular clerk would have been sufficient, but they apparently had no say in the matter.

They were soon ushered into a large conference room with all the higher ups from the IMOL. The Head was a self-important wizard named Aguilar who had a witch in her late twenties serving as his personal quick quotes quill. He peered at Harry silently for several long moments as if gazing upon a fabulous treasure.

“So, tell me about this bond?” He asked in a tone that was trying to appear friendly and trustworthy but failed. 

“Er, well,” Harry began, rubbing the back of his neck. He held out his left arm. “Don't I just have to show you this?”

A regular law clerk – who sat at the back of the room as if trying to hide – quickly started filling out a long form. The Head of IMOL inspected the golden tan tattoo curiously. He stroked his short and well-groomed beard in thought.

“This is an unusual bond. May I?” 

Harry nodded in permission, prompting Aguilar to pull out his wand and cast diagnostic spells on the tattoo.

“Fascinating... I've never seen this sort of bond before. We need to know this information for the registration paperwork, but even so, I'm curious; who performed the bonding and when?”

“Dumbledore performed it a couple months before the end of our Sixth Year,” Harry answered, honestly surprised when Draco softly muttered the exact date and time, which the clerk quickly wrote down.

“Dumbledore?” Aguilar questioned in shock. “He...? While you were still _students_?!” 

Another – somewhat frantic – conference was held to determine if the fact that they were both technically underage at the time changed anything. However, since the diagnostics proved that the bond was permanent, there wasn't much they could do to invalidate it. Thus it was decided that if the boys wanted to honor and register the bond, there was nothing that could be done to stop them.

It took over an hour to completely fill out the paperwork simply because the various people in the room kept interrupting to ask Harry questions about the war and his defeat of the Dark Lord. Harry answered them at first because it felt strangely cathartic to talk about it. After a while, Harry had to forbid any off topic questions out of the dreadful knowledge that they'd never finish if he didn't.

Just when they were finishing up the paperwork – which the clerk made copies of for both of them to keep – the topic edged back toward the Voldemort. Harry was never so happy in his life to see Arthur Weasley than that moment!

“Excuse me,” Arthur said as he poked his head in the conference room. “Word has it that Harry has been secluded here all afternoon. Harry, my boy! What brings you to the ministry?”

Harry leapt up from his seat and hugged Arthur. “I'm so glad to see you!”

“Are you coming home for dinner tonight?” Arthur asked with a warm smile. “Molly's making her famous meatballs.”

“Er, maybe. We haven't discussed our plans yet,” Harry replied. He held out his hand to Draco. “Come on, Draco. We're done here anyway.”

Draco put his hand in Harry's and got to his feet. They followed Arthur out of the room.

“Thanks for getting us out of there,” Harry murmured softly to Arthur.

“No problem, my boy,” Arthur assured him. “I was getting worried about you since it seemed to be taking so long. Just a warning, as word spread that you were here, people made any excuse they could to go to the atrium.”

“Great,” Harry grumbled sarcastically.

True to their expectations, the Atrium was positively packed with witches and wizards who wanted to get a glimpse of Harry. They cheered him on, but otherwise maintained a distance. Harry breathed out a sigh of relief when they reached the Disapparition point.

Harry was still holding Draco's hand and now whispered in his ear. “Do you want to go to the Burrow for dinner?”

Draco shook his head but didn't say anything.

“Thanks again, Arthur,” Harry said, hugging him again. “Draco and I just want to go home but we'll see you next week.” 

“Of course,” Arthur stated in acceptance. “Just remember, you're welcome to come over anytime.”

Harry nodded, and then focused on Grimmauld Place. A moment later, they were standing in front of a big old house that looked downright creepy. Harry handed Draco a piece of parchment with the address on it, and then waited a moment for the magic of the Fidelius Charm to recognize Harry and allow Draco access through the wards.

Once inside the house – Harry having insisted that they sneak in as quietly as possible to avoid disturbing Walburga Black hanging in the entryway – they decided that they were more tired than hungry. So, they set about choosing a room and cleaning it up enough that they could sleep in it. Of course, sleep wasn't the first thing they did.

Harry waited until they were in bed, naked and groping each other, before he pulled back and looked away.

“What?” Draco asked in concern.

“It's just... Well, this is sort of our second wedding night, right?” Harry suggested nervously.

“I suppose,” Draco agreed slowly.

“So... shouldn't we, you know...?” 

Draco used a hand to force Harry to look him in the eye. “Are you saying this because you  _want_ to have sex, or because you think you  _should_ ?”

“Well, both, actually,” Harry admitted with a tiny smile.

Draco took a deep breath to give himself time to think this over.   
Not to mention, squash the sudden desire to jump on Harry and progress straight to the end. “Alright. If you really want to, I'm willing. What did you have in mind?”

Harry blushed. “I thought that since you know what you're doing, I can be the bottom.”

“Is that what you really want?” Draco wondered curiously. “Or are you too afraid of hurting me to try topping?”

Harry looked down as a small smile stretched his lips. “It's what I want. I've thought about it and while I eventually want to try both, I think I might like bottoming better.”

“Alright then,” Draco agreed with a grin. One of his hands was already exploring Harry's arse, his fingers slipping downward until they found Harry's puckered hole. Amazed that they were really going to have sex, Draco hummed happily.

Trying to be as careful as possible, Draco thoroughly lubricated and slipped one then two fingers into that virgin hole and sought out that one spot in particular that would make Harry whimper and mewl. Draco had no idea why, but simply playing with Harry was more fun than being played with himself. Well... Almost. Part of it might have simply been that Harry had never done this before, and part of it might have been that Draco was rapidly becoming _very_ attached to Harry.

When Harry gasped out as if he was being strangled and arched his back, Draco figured that the time was right to stop teasing and move on. He withdrew his fingers and climbed up until he was laying on top of Harry. One hand conjured oil for his rigid shaft, while his other supported his weight.

“This okay?” Draco asked.

“Yeah,” Harry replied breathlessly.

Before he did anything else, Draco kissed Harry. This kiss was so perfect that Draco forgot what he was doing for a long time. He simply settled himself on top of Harry and snogged until they both felt dizzy and weak. His breathing was utterly ragged and he had to stop simply because he thought he was going to pass out if he didn't.

Shaking, he took a deep breath to calm down. With a pleased grin, he noted that Harry also looked like he was about to die from the intensity. This made Draco wonder if Harry felt the same way he did, or if it was just sex to Harry. He had to shrug that thought away before he dwelt on it too long.

Finally ready, Draco pulled Harry's muscular legs over his hips and carefully pushed into Harry, pausing to groan happily every inch or so. When he was buried deep, he rested his head on Harry's chest and simply enjoyed the feel for a long moment. It was sheer bliss!

When he was ready to move, he chose a moderate and grinding pace. He didn't want to have to think of anything at all for as long as possible, so he let his mind go blank. He kept himself fully in the moment, enjoying each thrust and rolling his hips just right to provoke that delightful shudder from Harry each time.

“Kiss me and scratch my back,” Draco commanded, his breath escaping him in heavy pants.

Harry responded by yanking on Draco's hair and holding it in a tight grip while snogging him so hard that it was almost impossible to breathe. Draco groaned, feeling like he was in his personal heaven at the moment. He adjusted his position just slightly, and then sped up until he was banging into Harry as much as he possibly could.

Harry cried into Draco's mouth as he suddenly dug his nails into Draco's back. At the same time, Harry arched his back slightly and squirted out several hot stripes that coated both their stomachs. This was accompanied by a full body shuddering and a tight rippling around Draco's shaft.

Draco had to stop moving completely and rest his head on Harry's chest as he panted. “Not yet... not yet...” he told himself in a whisper. After all, he had all night. It would be such a shame to waste a moment of it sleeping.

The moment he felt like he wasn't going to orgasm right then and there, he resumed with a slow pace that sped up a little at a time over the course of an hour. At this point, the room felt positively sweltering! Draco was pouring sweat and couldn't determine if Harry was sweating too, or just covered with Draco's.

Best of all, Harry was not only writhing, but also whimpering and crying and  _ clinging _ to Draco as if he never wanted to let go. They had snogged nearly the entire time, but now Draco had to pull back because he had just officially run out of stamina. He repositioned himself until he had the leverage to grip Harry's hips and grind as deeply and powerfully as possible.

Pumping Harry full seemed to trigger another array of full body shudders. This was accompanied by a low squeal as Harry dug his nails into Draco's back again. It felt so good that it stole Draco's breath completely, leaving him no way to make a sound as the world spun around him.

When it was over, Draco collapsed onto Harry and nearly passed out. Both of them were panting erratically, and Harry continued to hold him in a comforting embrace. After he had calmed down and was relaxed – and probably at least half asleep – Draco snorted softly in amusement.

“Part of me wants to go right to sleep, but the rest of me wants to hold out until I fully recover and can go again. The problem is that I think I've turned into a flobberworm and don't seem to be able to move!”

Draco was laying with his cheek pressed to Harry's chest, so he couldn't see any sort of facial expression, but even so, he'd could feel Harry smile and chuckle at that. One of Draco's hands feebly patted the bed until he found the blanket. It took some doing – especially since he had no energy left – but he managed to cover them with the blanket and drift off to sleep.

As he did, he heard Harry whispering: “That was absolutely brilliant...”

 

***

 

The day before Harry's birthday, Harry and Draco spent the morning in bed before sheer hunger prompted them to get up. However, they had a problem. There was no food in the house since neither of them had remembered to go shopping again.

“Feel like visiting my parents for tea?” Draco asked with an utterly smooth expression to hide the fact that it was important to him.

Harry took a deep breath and held it a moment. “I... suppose...”

Draco gave him a tiny smile. “If nothing else, I can ask the house elves to pack up enough food to last us a few days.”

“And we'll definitely get a ton of food from Molly tomorrow,” Harry added with a grin.

They got out of bed and dressed up in semi formal robes that Draco insisted would be appropriate for tea at the Manor. Harry studied his reflection in the mirror for a moment. Draco had insisted that the green robes matched his eyes and made him look good, and Harry had to admit that it was true enough. Meanwhile, Draco looked stunning in his vivid blue robes that made his gray eyes look icy.

Harry gave his husband a kiss. “So, er... Are we planning to tell them about the bond?”

Draco looked a bit apprehensive. “I suppose we'll have to. In fact, I'd be surprised if one of my father's contacts in the Ministry hasn't told him the whole story by now. If this house wasn't unplottable, I'm almost certain that we'd have gotten a howler.”

“Maybe we should have gone straight to your parents after registering the bond,” Harry suggested. “I'm not so sure it was the right thing to let them find out about it from someone else.”

Draco shrugged. “I was planning to avoid telling them forever, if possible. Mostly because I don't think my father deserves to know after everything that happened, but,” he shrugged again, letting Harry know that he felt it was likely out of their hands.

Once ready, Draco had to Apparate them since the wards wouldn't let Harry into Malfoy Manor without Draco's magic. They arrived in Draco's bedroom simply because that's where he usually Apparated to. Harry looked around in awe.

“Wow... I knew you grew up rich, but I had no idea that your _bedroom_ was the size of a flat!” Harry exclaimed.

Draco chuckled. “What? Did you think that my parents kept me in a cupboard or something?”

Harry looked away sharply and didn't say anything. He pressed his lips together tightly, and then changed the subject. “Shouldn't we go find your parents?”

“Whoa, what's wrong?” Draco demanded in concern, grabbing onto Harry's hand. “You not only closed up like a clam, but you actually seem eager to see my father, which means that I hit a nerve, only I don't know how.”

Harry looked to the floor, and then turned his back to Draco. “It's nothing. Let's just go.”

“Harry...” Draco murmured in Harry's ear, putting his arms around Harry's waist and holding him close. “Please tell me.”

Harry sighed, slumping slightly. “I, er... I was kept in a cupboard until I turned eleven and got my letter to Hogwarts...”

“You're joking,” Draco whispered in disbelief.

“I wish I was,” Harry murmured, and then changed the subject again. “And I'm really hungry, so can we _please_ go find your parents already.”

“Harry...” Draco sighed the name like it was a blessing. He brushed some hair out of Harry's face as he walked around to Harry's front. “I'm sorry. I wouldn't have joked if I'd known.”

“Yeah, okay,” Harry stated, still closed off.

Draco kissed him. “Fine, I'll drop the subject for now, but I hope you'll tell me later. Maybe when we're in bed and sated and half falling asleep.”

“Maybe,” Harry said noncommittally.

Concerned but understanding that Harry wasn't ready to talk about it yet, Draco laced their fingers together and kissed Harry's hand. “We'll go find my parents now, though I'm surprised that a house elf hasn't popped in to tell us which parlor they're waiting for us in.”

Which, of course, triggered exactly that. A tiny and somehow pretty female house elf popped into the room, wearing a faded blue pillowcase that looked a bit like a roman toga on her. She bowed to them respectfully.

“Master Draco, Mistress Narcissa requests that you join her and the Master out in the garden for tea.”

“Thank you, Mimsy,” Draco murmured, and then turned his attention back to Harry. He pointed through a large, sliding glass door. “This way. The garden is actually right outside my room, about 100 feet to the left.”

Harry nodded as if he cared about this information, and then let Draco lead him. They held hands for several reasons. Most importantly, Draco wanted to comfort and reassure Harry, but also, he wanted to send a message to his parents that the two of them were married now and there was nothing to be done about it.

As they approached the garden, they discovered that Lucius and Narcissa were sitting under the shade of a large, lacy parasol hovering over a round table perfect for four people. They were looking out at the garden rather than at Draco, but that changed when they sensed him coming. Both looked up and watched Draco and Harry come closer with properly composed faces and discerning eyes.

“Mother. Father,” Draco greeted them with a perfectly composed expression of his own.

“Draco darling, what took you so long to return home?” Narcissa asked, but before Draco could answer, Lucius added: “So it's true then?”

“Yes it's true,” Draco confirmed, and then focused on his mother. “It took us a while to decide if we wanted to register our bond. We needed to see if we could get along first.”

“Presumably the fact that you did indeed register the bond and are now here together means that you manage to get along,” Lucius stated in a way that Harry could not figure if it was a question, a statement, or a judgment.

Draco gestured to the chair next to his mother, waited for Harry to sit, and then sat down in the chair next to his father. They accepted cups of tea and a plate of biscuits from a house elf. Draco leaned over to whisper in Harry's ear.

“The ones with cherries are my favorite.”

Harry smiled at him and took one for a taste. “Mmm, I can see why.”

Draco turned to his father. “Yes, we do get along. It shocks us both, I assure you.”

Narcissa smiled at Harry. “I'm glad to see you are well, Mr. Potter.”

Harry blushed lightly. “Malfoy-Potter,” he corrected softly.

Both Narcissa and Lucius looked utterly surprised by this.

“And I'm Potter-Malfoy,” Draco added firmly. “We decided that if we were going to give this marriage bond an honest try, we'd take each other's names.”

“And how exactly did this happen?” Lucius questioned with an expression of distaste.

Draco explained the whole situation, although he was certain that his father had heard it word for word from a spy in the Ministry. Lucius listened silently, not giving any indications as to his thoughts. Narcissa took Draco's hand in hers and examined his wedding ring.

“I had a feeling there was more to this than simply looking nice – as you said,” she murmured.

“I couldn't risk the Dark Lord finding out,” Draco whispered, not entirely sure how this news would be taken.

“Of course not,” Narcissa agreed with a faint smile.

Lucius didn't say a word, but Draco had the impression that he was upset and half certain that knowledge of the bond would have helped Voldemort win. Eventually, Lucius sighed and let the matter go. If he were honest, the Dark Lord probably would have hurt or tortured and possibly even killed Draco to get at Harry had he known about the bond.

“How do you plan to have a child, Draco?” Lucius asked his son, as this was the most important thing in his opinion.

“I haven't thought about it,” Draco answered with a shrug.

“I'm sure we can ask one of my friends – or yours – to carry a child for us,” Harry suggested. “When we decide that we're ready for kids.”

“Do you really think that any of our friends would just agree so easily?” Draco asked with a frown of both curiosity and disbelief.

Harry shrugged. “Sure, why not? I think that Luna would be a good choice for your Heir since she has pale blonde hair and gray eyes like you. And I think Ginny would agree to carry one for me.”

Draco was honestly surprised. “You really think they would just agree?”

“I'm certain of it in Luna's case,” Harry stated with a fond smile. “I think she'd try to summon rocks from the moon if I asked her to.”

Draco tilted his head to the side and nodded. “Yeah, that sounds like her.” Then he frowned. “But, er... I'm not so sure she'd be willing to consider it after her, er, involuntary stay here.”

“I bet Luna surprises you,” Harry stated with a tiny smile.

“We'll see,” Draco countered with a tone of light challenge. Then he looked at his father once more. “Apparently we have the beginnings of a workable plan. I'm sure we could come up with an even better one once we're ready to have children.”

“So you do,” Lucius admitted, and then dropped the subject. The rest of tea was awkward with both Lucius and Narcissa trying to make small talk and Draco and Harry answering questions as succinctly as possible. When Mimsy arrived with a large basket of food – as requested – Draco jumped on the chance to leave.

“We'll come back for tea again next week,” Draco promised vaguely.

“Why don't the two of you stay here?” Narcissa asked. “Your bedroom is big enough and secluded enough that you wouldn't see us if you didn't want to, but then you could be here for dinner.”

“We decided to stay at Harry's house,” Draco replied firmly. “We're alone there and there's plenty of room should we ever decide to have children.”

Narcissa sighed in defeat. “Well, will you at least adjust the wards so that we can send you owls and firecall you?”

“We can do that,” Harry assured her with a bright smile. After that, he slipped his hand into Draco's free one, waved goodbye, and then Apparated them back to Grimmauld Place.

 

***

 

Harry's birthday was the first time he'd seen any of his loved ones – other than Arthur – since shortly after the Final Battle. He'd kept in contact with Ron and Hermione via the mobile phone he'd bought, but it wasn't the same. He hadn't quite realized how much he'd missed them all until he Apparated into the kitchen, holding Draco's hand, and was instantly pulled into a tight hug by Molly.

“Oh Harry, my boy! I've missed you so much!” Molly assured him, kissing his cheeks repeatedly as she tried to squeeze him to death.

Harry kissed her cheek in return. “I've missed you too.”

“Good to see you as well, Draco,” Molly greeted him with a genuine smile, even if it was a bit cold compared to the one she gave Harry.

“Good afternoon,” Draco greeted her a bit awkwardly.

Molly returned her smile to Harry. “Go on out to the backyard. Almost everyone is here already.”

“Thanks Molly,” Harry murmured, giving her another kiss on the cheek.

He slipped his hand back into Draco's and led him out to the backyard. No one noticed them at first, which gave Harry time to see that Ron and George were huddled together at a table, no doubt coming up with new pranks for their shop. Hermione was sitting at a different table with her parents, Ginny, and Luna. Neville, Dean, and Seamus were at the same table as Ron, but in a huddle of their own. Arthur was sitting with Percy, which just left Charlie, Bill, and Fleur to arrive – if they planned to come.

“Harry!” Hermione squealed when she looked up and spotted him. She jumped up and ran flat out so that she could throw her arms around him and hug him so tight that he couldn't breathe. He was reminded of those rough hugs that Hagrid often gave him. “I missed you so much!”

“I missed you too, 'Mione,” Harry informed her as they exchanged kisses on the cheek.

Ron pulled him from her arms to bestow a brotherly hug with plenty of back pounding. “Mate, you're looking almost as tan as we are, and we were on holiday in Australia. Did you know it's fall there? Or it was when we went. Was still pretty hot though.”

“Yes, I'm pretty sure you told me once or twice,” Harry replied with a grin.

“Harry,” Luna murmured softly in her dreamy voice. Harry pulled free of Ron's embrace to hug Luna. “Will you allow the Quibbler to run an exclusive story on your bond?”

“Why not?” Harry answered with a grin.

“No one will believe it,” Draco muttered, but then shrugged because he didn't care what anyone believed.

“Draco,” Luna greeted cheerfully, pulling free of Harry's arms to throw her arms around Draco and kiss his cheek.

“Er...” Draco droned in astonishment.

“It's lovely to see you again,” Luna informed him. “I never did get a chance to thank you for sneaking us food whenever you could.”

“Er...” Draco reiterated, unable to think of anything to say to that.

Harry chuckled. “I _told_ you that Luna would surprise you!” He kissed her cheek even as she was still holding onto Draco. “Hey, we were wondering, in a couple of years from now, when we're ready, do you think you'd be willing to carry a Malfoy Heir for us?”

“Does that mean I get to have sex with Draco again?” Luna asked in obvious delight.

“Again?” Harry wondered with a raised brow.

Draco flushed and looked away.

“Oh yes,” Luna confirmed. “When he snuck food to the prisoners, a couple of times, he was clearly so miserable that I'd hug him and try to comfort him, and _well_...” She shrugged with a serene smile. “One thing led to another.”

Harry raised a brow and gave Draco an amused look. _You knew that Luna was a very loving and forgiving person and you didn't think she'd agree?_

 _Well, what happened in the dungeon was the outcome of extreme duress. I really thought she'd hate me for it_ , Draco explained.

“Ooo... you're talking in your heads,” Luna observed with a grin. She kissed Draco's cheek again. “I'll be happy to carry as many children as you want. Just let me know when you're ready.”

After that, Harry was pulled into hugs from the rest of the people there. Charlie, Bill, and Fleur showed up, and Fleur announced that she was pregnant. Even more surprising, Hagrid and McGonagal arrived, each bearing gifts for Harry.

At one point, McGonagal and Harry were talking alone off to the side of the yard.

“I must be getting back to Hogwarts,” McGonagal informed him.

“Er, can I ask a favor?” Harry wondered.

“Ask away, if it's something I can do, I will,” she replied with a fond smile.

“I really need to speak with Dumbledore – er, his portrait. Would it be alright with you?” Harry inquired.

“Yes, I'm sure he'd love to speak with you,” she answered, now looking rather curious.

“Can we do that now, since you plan to leave?” Harry asked.

McGonagal simply nodded her consent.

“Draco,” Harry called out to him, mildly surprised to find him and Hermione discussing books at one of the tables. Luna had apparently made it her mission to keep him company as well so that he had at least one person – other than Harry – to talk to if he started to feel awkward.

Draco looked up at him. _Something wrong_?

Harry shook his head. _I asked McGonagal if we could talk to Dumbledore's portrait, and she said yes._

 _Better say your goodbyes then_ , Draco suggested.

It took at least 20 minutes for Harry to hug and or kiss everyone and gather up and shrink down his presents for easy carrying. Once he was done – Molly having given him several extra hugs and kisses – the two of them joined hands and Apparated to the spot McGonagal suggested as the easiest and closest to the wards of Hogwarts. It took them close to another 20 minutes to walk all the way to the Headmistress' office.

Finally, Harry and Draco were alone with Dumbledore – and all the other portraits hanging on the walls.

“Sir, can I ask you why you wanted us to bond?” Harry asked, getting right to the point.

Dumbledore leaned forward in his portrait to give them a cheeky wink. “Well, aside from all the reasons I listed at the time, I wanted to make sure that you two couldn't kill each other at any point – accidentally or otherwise. You see, I had an unshakably strong suspicion that you two were meant to be together. I realized that you were too young and not quite ready to understand it yourselves, but I also knew that my time was limited. So tell me, was I right?”

This answer surprised Harry. “You thought we were meant to be together?”

“Yes,” Dumbledore confirmed. “All the most volatile of enmities have the potential for true passion and love. And though your backgrounds were different – one of you having been somewhat abused as a child and the other cherished – your roles switched over the years, and your experiences in the war were similar enough that I think your bond will be a strong one that lasts your entire life.”

“How abused?” Draco asked, hoping that Dumbledore would give him more information than Harry had.

Harry looked away and fiddled with his hands so that he could pretend not to hear whatever Dumbledore said.

“His Aunt and Uncle erroneously thought that they could prevent him from becoming a wizard if they simply kept him locked up. It didn't work, but I don't think they ever showed him kindness,” Dumbledore explained.

“I will be in my room making no noise and pretending I don't exist,” Harry muttered so softly that Draco almost didn't hear him.

“Were it not for the very real and very important magical protection offered by his blood family, I would never have let him stay there once he came to Hogwarts,” Dumbledore finished up what he had to say on the subject.

Draco took Harry's hand in his and rubbed it with his other hand. “I had no idea. I thought that – I _honestly_ thought all those years that you were raised in a mansion like me. That you were waited on hand and foot because of who you are – The-Boy-Who-Lived. That's why I thought you were so stuck up and arrogant.”

Harry shrugged. “I guess you could say that I developed a thick skin over the years so that I could survive everything that was thrown at me. _They_ probably started it,” he ended with a nearly silent mutter.

Draco brushed some hair out of Harry's face. “From now on, I will do my best to stand between you and everyone you don't want to be around. Such as those fans. I know you don't really like them fawning all over you.”

Harry grinned, feeling a lot better than he had moments ago. “Maybe not all of the time. How about when I ask for help or look overwhelmed?”

“I can do that,” Draco promised with a smile. They both realized that it was a bit quiet and looked up to find Dumbledore watching them with a satisfied smile.

“I was right,” he stated, giving them a rather mischievous look. “You two belong together.”

Harry looked to the one hand still in his lap since Draco was holding the other. “I hope so, because I think... I think I love Draco...”

Draco gasped incredulously. “You do?!”

Harry still wouldn't look at him. “Yeah, I really think I do.”

Draco pulled him into a tight hug. “Merlin and Salazar, Harry! I can't tell you how happy I am to hear that!”

Relieved, Harry looked up just in time for Draco to give him a hard and possessive kiss. They could hear Dumbledore chuckling merrily. Then they heard something that made them freeze and their blood run cold in their veins.

“How nauseating!”

Harry broke free of the kiss and looked over to a new portrait that was glaring down at them. “Professor Snape. I'm glad to see you.”

“I'm fairly certain you aren't,” Snape sneered.

“I actually am,” Harry gently insisted. “I wanted to thank you for giving me your memories. They helped me not only understand what it was I was meant to do, but also understand you a lot better. You really are the bravest man I ever met.”

Snape looked taken aback for a long moment, and then he sneered. “Draco, would you please let go of that wretch? The sight of you in each other's arms is making me want to vomit.”

Draco grinned and snuggled into Harry. “Now that I know we love each other, there's nothing in this world that could make me let him go!”

With a happy grin, Harry kissed Draco, chuckling as Snape made sounds like he was being sick and Dumbledore clapped lightly.

“No go on,” Dumbledore suggested with a proud smile. “You have your whole lives ahead of you.”

Hand in hand and with a tiny wave goodbye, they did.

 

**Author's Note:**

> This whole story came about because I love a good bond story, but I also think that the bonds that force them to be together have been over done quite a bit, so I wanted it to be less force and more consent. Also, when you read book six - and then Snape's memories from (and the rest of the end of) book seven - it's clear that Dumbledore was quite possibly at least a dozen steps ahead of Voldemort, thus I think it very believable and likely that Canon Dumbledore would have wanted Harry to help Draco out as a way to trick Voldemort and eventually draw him out into the open, under a false sense of security. Of course, the rest is EWE, lol!


End file.
